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^roceetiinss! 

of the Meeting held 
at Columbus, Ohio, 
on November 23-25 
and the Report for 

19 8 



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THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE TROPHY CUP 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT 
ASSOCIATION 



n 
No,. 



35 



Compliments of the 

Ohio Corn Improvement Association. 



THE EXPERIMENT STATION PRESS 

WOOSTER, OHIO 

1909 



S, 

8. 

a 
d 

1, 



REPORT OF THE MEETING 
HELD AT COLUMBUS, OHIO, 
NOVEMBER 23-25, 1908, AND s 

FOR THE YEAR 1908. 



§3/9/ 



JAN n^*^^ .. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE MEETING OF THE 
OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 
HELD AT COLUMBUS, NOVEMBER, 23-25, '08 



jrrHE FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE OHIO CORN 
\li IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION was held at Columbus, 
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, November 23-25, 1908. 
The sessions were held at the building- of the Ohio State University, 
and in connection with them was held the lirst State Corn Show, a 
report of which will be given by the Committee on Institutes and 
Expositions. The afternoons were g-iven over to the Corn School, 
which lasted throug-hout the week, and to a study of the exhibits. 
The attendance at all sessions held in the forenoons and evening's, 
and the number of exhibits at the corn show far exceeded the ex- 
pectations of the committee in charge of the meeting-, thus causing- 
some little embarrassment. 

At the business session Wednesda}^ forenoon the following- 
counties were represented by accredited deleg-ates who were author- 
ized bjr the Committee on Credentials to cast the number of votes 
g-iven opposite the names of their counties. 

Butler 2 Montg-omery 2 

Franklin (Farmers) 2 Stark 3 

Greene 6 Vanwert 3 

Hancock 2 Darke 3 

Madison 1 Gallia 2 

Mercer 7 Hamilton (township) 2 

Richland 4 Licking 5 

Trumbull 1 Meig-s 4 

Clinton 5 Putnam 7 

Franklin (township) 2 Summit 5 

Guernsej' 1 Washington 1 

Hai-din .' 26 Wood 3 

Medina 1 

Total votes cast by 25 counties 100 

At this session the Constitution and By-laws were amended to 
read as g-iven elsewhere, and the following- officers were elected for 
the ensuing- year: — 

W. B. Gramlich, Kenton, President District Vice-presidents:— 
W. M. Hardman, Yellow Springs, 

Vice-president Tasso Terrell, New Vienna 

L. H. Goddard, Wooster, Secretary H. N. Firestone, Middlebranch 

J. W. Hedges, Duvall, Treasurer W. A. Lloyd, Albany 

The following- papers and reports were presented at the meeting": 



4 OHIO CORN EVIPROVKMENT ASSOCIATION 

RECENT ADVANCEMENT IN OUR KNOWLEDGE 
OF THE LAWS OF HEREDITY. 

BY W. J. SPILLMAN, AGRICULTURIST U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

A dozen years ago the subject of heredity was usually not taug^ht 
in our colleges; we did not know enough to justify teaching it. Even 
yet the subject is hardly- organized from a pedagogic standpoint, but 
there is plenty of subject matter for a strong college course. This 
matter is rapidly assuming form, and will doubtless soon form one 
of the most important and most popular biological courses. 

The discoveries in this domain during the eight j^ears are nothing 
less than epoch making. We do not even yet appreciate their full 
Importance, yet important applications of this new knowledge have 
already been made in the improvement of crops and domesticated 
animals. 

During the last two years of the past century, live men, working 
independently of each other, discovered a highh' important law 
which enables us to predict the results of the crossing of two dis- 
tinct varieties for the second and later generations of the progeny. 
The discovery of this law was hailed with much enthusiasm, as it 
was the first inkling we had had that there are any laws governing 
the transmission of hereditary characters from one generation to 
the next. 

After the discovery was announced, Correns, one of the men 
who had made the discovery, in searching through the literatureof the 
object to see whether the law had been recognized previously, 
made the astounding discover}' that this law had been worked out 
in very great completeness by a monk in an Austrian monastery and 
published in 1865, demonstrating anew the old saj-ing that "There 
is nothing new under the sun."' But the discovery was new when 
the Austrian monk made it, and it has very appropriately been 
named "Mendel's Law", for this was the name of the recluse who, 
working with varieties of the common garden pea, had discovered a 
law the knowledge of which enables us now, I am tempted to say, to 
produce almost any type of plant or animal we desire, provided we 
can find the characters we want scattered amongst races or varieties 
that can be crossed with each other. There are, however, many 
limitations in the application of the law, but new facts are being dis- 
covered concerning it almost daily. We do not know that all heredi- 
tar}^ characters obey Mendel's law, but many hundreds of them do, 
and it is barely possible that all do. The highly significant fact is 
that we have discovered a law which hundreds of hereditary charac- 



AKNTJAT. RP:P0RT 



ters do obey. It is now my task to give an exposition of this law, 
together with some of the important results which have fallowed its 
application in the breeding of plants and animals. 

Suppose we cross a bearded wheat with a smooth (beardless) 
wheat. Experience shows that this gives a wheat which is smooth, 
or only very slightlv bearded. In this cross we bring together two 
naturally antagonistic characters. P"^or some reason one member of 
this pair of characters prevents the other from developing. The 
biologist expresses this fact by saying that smoothness is dominant 
over beards, or that beards are recessive to smoothness. Generally 
speaking, one member of a pair of antagonistic characters is more 
or less completely dominant over the other. For instance, if we 
cross a polled breed of cattle with a horned breed none of the progeny 
will have perfect horns. About 5 percent of them will have what 
cattlemen call "scurs", that is, imperfect horns. The other 95 per- 
cent will be as perfectly polled as their polled parent. Thus, the 
poll character is said to be dominant and horns recessive, though the 
dominance is not absolute in all cases. 

The cases cited are illustrations of what we call "Mendel's law 
of dominance." We have many beautiful illustrations of this law. 
For instance, if red tomatoes be crossed with yellow the fruit of the 
hybrid is red. If white hogs be crossed with black or red the hy- 
brids are nearly always white. If the white faced Hereford cattle 
be crossed with cattle having a colored face the crossbred animals 
have white faces. If a red rose be crossed with a white rose the 
hybrid is red. If a pink-eyed albino be crossed with an individual 
having no albino blood, none of the progeny will be albino. 
DOMINANCE NOT ALWAYS PERFECT. 
The dominance of one character over its opposite is seldom ab- 
solute. In nearly all cases there is some indication of the hybrid 
character of the progeny. Even if there is no other indication the 
hybrid is usually stronger growing and more vigorous than the pure 
bred. But usually the recessive character itself shows, at least 
partially, in some individuals resulting from the cross. As stated 
above, the cross between bearded and smooth wheat shows a slight 
tende'ncy to be bearded. The cross between polled and horned 
cattle in a few individuals develops imperfect horns, or scurs. Re- 
cessive characters are especially likely to show when age comes on. 
In some cases, however, w^e have a very different result. There 
is a certain red primrose which, when crossed with a certain white 
primrose, instead of giving red progeny gives a beautiful purple 
flower. This primrose has for years been sold on the market un- 
der the name of "Imperial Primrose"; but it is a hybrid and does 
not reproduce true to seed. We shall later see why this is the case. 



6 OHIO CORN IMPROVMENT ASSOCIATION 

In some crosses, instead of having- dominance of one character 
over its opposite, the hybrid is intermediate between the two parents. 
For instance, in my work with hybrid wheats some years ago, I 
crossed several varieties of the ordinary types of wheat with the 
extreme!}^ short headed club wheats grown on the Pacific Coast. 
While the hybrids produce club shaped heads with the characteristic 
dense growth of the club varieties, these heads were nearly always 
longer than the original club heads, so there could not be said to be 
complete dominance of the club character. Prof. Castle, of Harvard, 
crossed long-eared rabbits with ordinary rabbits, and the progeny 
had ears intermediate in length between those of the two parents. 
On the other hand, when dwarf peas are crossed with standard sorts 
the hybrid grows even taller than the standard parent. 

These illustrations are sufficient to make clear the law of domi- 
nance and the fact that this law is not universal. We come now to 
the more important law, the law of separation of character pairs. 
It is this law that is ordinarily meant when we speak of Mendel's 
law, because it is so much more important than the law of dominance. 

It is part of the irony of Fate that Mendel's discoveries were 
utterly ignored and even forgotten during his life time. He never 
knew he had made an epoch making discovery. When the whole 
world went to breeding improved varieties of plants these discov- 
eries were made again. Now we are building a monument toGregor 
Mendel at Brunn, Austria, in the little monastery garden in which 
his epoch making work was done. 

MENDEL'S LAW OF SEGREGATION. 

We have seen what happens when a pair of antagonistic charac- 
ters are brought together; that is, what happens during the life of 
the individual bearing these two characters. But what happens to 
this character pair in passing to the next generation? In order to 
make the matter clear, let us take a concrete case. Let us suppose 
we have a hybrid pea which was produced by crossing a red pea 
with a white one. This plant produces ovules in the 3'oung seed pod, 
and these ovules must be fertilized b}^ the pollen grains which it 
produces in its anthers, or by pollen grains from some other flower 
before the}' will develop into seed. But let us take the case in 
which the ovules are fertilized by the pollen grains produced in the 
anthers of the same flower. A most interesting thing happens in 
the formation of both pollen and ovules. For lack of time I cannot 
explain this in detail, but in the production of pollen or ovules a cer- 
tain cell division occurs which splits apart the members of our pair 
of antagonistic characters. The two cells which result from this 



ANNUAL REPORT 7 

division are therefore not alike. One of them has in it the red 
flower character, the other the white flower character. Essentially 
the same thing- occurs in the formation of both ovules and pollen. 

In other words, when a hybrid produces those cells which are 
to be used in the production of a new generation — that is, reproduc- 
tive cells, or, as the biologists call them, gametes, every pair of an- 
tagonistic characters present in the hybrid is split apart so that half 
of the gametes formed inherit one member of each pair; the other 
half inherit the other member. , This is called the "law of the seg- 
regation of character pairs in hybrids." 

In reality, the same thing happens in plants and animals that 
are not hybrids. The hereditary characters are inherited from 
both parents, and there is really a pair present in all ordinary cases. 
But in pure bred races the two members of a pair are alike, and 
hence can not be distinguished. A very g-ood way of expressing 
Mendel's law is as follows: a character inherited from one parent is 
transmitted to half the oif spring; the corresponding form of this 
character inherited from the other parent is transmitted to the other 
half of the offspring. 

Returning- again to the case of our hybrid pea, let us picture a 
particular one of the ovules and ]et us assume that it is one which 
by chance has the red flower color in it. Now this ovule must be 
fertilized by pollen before it can develop into a seed. That is, the 
nucleus of the ovule must unite with a nucleus obtained from a pol- 
len grain before growth can take place in the ovule. But half of the 
pollen of the plant has the red character and half the white. It is 
therefore an even chance whether this particular ovule shall be fer- 
tilized by red pollen or white pollen. If it is fertilized by red the 
plant developing from this ovule will then be pure red in flower, be- 
cause it has inherited red from both sides. Such a plant is said to 
be homozygote, a term which means -'like things joined together." 
But if this ovule should be fertilized by white pollen, then the plant 
which developes from it will be hybrid, because from one side it 
inherits the red and from the other the white. It is said to be 
heterozygote, a term which means "unlike things joined tog-ether." 
Because of the law of dominance, the flowers this heterozyg-ote plant 
would produce would be red, but they would not reproduce true to 
seed. These terms, homozj'gote and heterozj^gote, apply to animals 
as well as to plants. 

Let us see how many different kinds of seed our hybrid pea 
plant could produce. Half of its ovules are red and half white. By 
this, of course, I mean that half of them have inherited the red 
character and the other half the white. We have just seen that the 



8 OHIO CORN IMPROVKMENT ASSOCIATION 

red ovule is just as apt to be fertilized by red pollen as white pollen, 
hence, on the averagfe, half of the red ovules will unite with red pol- 
len and half of them with white. Likewise, half of the white ovules 
will unite with red pollen and half with white. We thus have four 
cases, namely: red unitin<f with red; red with white; white wath red; 
and white with white. Each of these four cases is as likely to occur 
as another. Hence, on the average, they will occur an equal number 
of times, especially if the number of seeds produced is largfc Thus 
we see that the prog-eny of our hybrid is one fourth pure red, one 
half heterozyg-ote between red and white, and one fourth pure white. 
But since the heterozygotes also appear red, the progeny of the hy- 
brid we are considering- will be three red to one white. This is the 
w^ell known Medelian ratio found in the progeny of a hybrid plant or 
the progeny.of two hybrid animals. 

As this is the most fundamental point in the whole subject of 
heredity, I will take the liberty to use another illustration. Sup- 
pose that the parents of a family of children are both heterozygote 
for brown eyes and blue eyes. Since brown is dominant to blue 
both these parents will be brown-eyed, but each of them will trans- 
mit brown eyes to half the children and blue eyes to the other half. 
The possible types of children in such a family are as follows. The 
first group consists of children which inherit 

1 Brown eyes from the father and browai eyes from the mother. 
This group is homozygote for browai eyes. 

2 Brown ej^es from the father and blue eyes from the mother. 
This group is brown-eyed, but heterozygote, as is also the next. 

3 Blue eyes from the father and brown eyes from the mother. 

4 The last group inherit blue eyes from the father and blue 
eyes from the mother. Being homozygote for the blue they will be 
blue-eyed. 

Each of these four cases is equally likely to occur. The first 
three of them give brown eyes, the last blue; hence, on the average 
of a large number of such families, three fourths of the children will 
be brown-eyed and one fourth of them blue-eyed. Many of you will 
know^ families in which this law is illustrated. It must be remem- 
bered, however, that in such families all the children ma\' inherit 
either brown or blue from both parents, but such cases will be rare. 
It is possible from the law- of probability to calculate in what propor- 
tion of such families any particular combination of brown and blue 
eyes will occur. 

Let us now return to the case of the Imperial Primrose. This 
beautiful purple flower originated in a cross between a red and a 
white variety, the heterozygote being purple. Now when this 



ANNUAL RKPORT 9 

purple plant produces ovules and pollen, half the ovules carry the 
red character and half white. Likewise, half the pollen carries the 
red character and half the white. The chance union of these pollen 
grains and ovules covers the same four cases we have considered 
above in the case of eye color. One fourth of the seeds produced 
are homozygote for red; one half of them are heteroz^^gote; the re- 
maining fourth are homozjgote for white. We can now understand 
why this primrose, grown and sold by an English florist for a period 
of fifteen years, always produced some red, some wdiite, and some 
purple progen}\ Generally speaking, one fourth of the seed pro- 
duced red flowers, one fourth white, while half of them reproduced 
the beautiful Imperial Primrose. 

Experience has shown that it is impossible to fix the type of a 
heterozj'gote b^^ selection, and we now know why this is the case. 
It is because of the law of separation of character pairs when repro- 
ductive cells are formed. How% then, shall the breeder of plants 
and animals secure any advantage from this law? 

MULTIPLE HYBRIDS. 

In most crosses, either with plants or animals, we have to deal 
with several pairs of characters. For instance, in the cross between 
Herefords and Angus cattle the Herefords have white face, red body 
and horns; the Angus has colored face, black body, and no horns. 
The hybrid, because of the law of dominance, will have a black body, 
a white face, and no horns. But if we cross this hybrid with Here- 
fords it will transmit the poll character to half the offspring, the 
red body to half, and the white face to half. But a calf which re- 
ceives the poll character is just as likeh' as not also to receive the 
red body color from the h3rbrid parent; and a calf which has inheri- 
ted both the poll character and the red body color is just as likely as 
not to inherit also the white face from the hybrid parent. If we se- 
cure a large number of such progeny, some of them then will have 
the pure white face and the pure red body of the Hereford, and at 
the same time will have the poll character from one parent. They 
will, as far as external breed characters are concerned, be pure 
Herefords in color, in face, and will be hybrid polls. 

Let us now see what use the breeder can make of these newly 
obtained polled Herefords. It must be remembered that they have 
inherited the poll character from one side only and are therefore 
heterozygote for this character. Suppose we cross one of these 
heterozygotes with pure horned Herefords. From the pure Here- 
ford side the calves all inherit horns. From the heterozygote par- 
ent half of them inherit horns and the other half the poll character. 
This style of breeding, therefore, simply increases the number of 



10 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. 

our heterozyg-ote polled cattle, and gives us no pure polled cattle. 
After a while, however, we secure a large number of these hetero- 
zygote polls. Now suppose we contine our crossing to the hetero- 
zygotes. In that case we get exactly the same results as were out- 
lined above in the case of eye color where both of the parents were 
heterozygote for this character pair. One fourth of the progeny 
will be homozygote for the poll character; or, in other words, they 
will be pure polled animals producing only polled progeny, no matter 
with what they are crossed. In this manner we are able to obtain a 
few pure polled animals which have all the visible characters of the 
Hereford breed except the horns. 

What I am describing- is no fancied case. This work has ac- 
tually been done, and we have now two breeding associations in this 
country which are breeding Polled Herefords in the manner de- 
scribed. 

We may now state Mendel's law in a new way, and in a way 
which shows its tremendous importance to the breeder. In the 
second generation of a hybrid, every possible combination of the 
parent characters will occur, and if the number of individuals in the 
second g-eneration be large enough there will be some individuals 
representing every combination of characters that will be homo- 
zygote with reference to all the characters present, thus giving 
fully established new types which require no further selection for 
their fixing. This phase of the law is beautifully illustrated in some 
recent work in the breeding of tomatoes done by Professors Price 
and Drinkard of the Virginia Experiment Station. 

The parent plants used in making this cross differed in three 
important characters. One of them had green leaves, the other 
had yellowish leaves; the one with green leaves had yellow fruit 
with a neck on it, rendering- it pear shaped, the one with yellow 
leaves had red fruit which was round, or without neck. We thus 
have three character pairs, namely, green and yellow leaves, red 
and yellow fruit, neck and no neck on the fruit. The possible com- 
binations of these three characters that can occur in the second 
generation of the hybrid are as follows: 

First, we may have either g-reen leaves or yellow leaves. In 
each of these classes we may have yellow fruit or red fruit, and in 
each of these sub classes we may have the neck or its absence. 
This gives eight types. Type No. 1 has yellow fruit with the neck. 
This is exactly like one of the original varieties used in this cross. 
Type 2 has yellow fruit with no neck. 

So much for the two green leafed types that have yellow fruit. 
We will now turn our attention to the two g-reen types which have 
red fruit. The first one (type 3) should have the neck. This plant 



ANNUAL REPORT 11 

showed the neck plainly in the first fruit formed on the vine, but in 
the fruit which formed later the neck was absent, the fruit assuming- 
an oblong shape. This plant was probably heterozygote for the 
neck. It is not an uncommon thing- for heterozygotes, as they g-row 
older, to show^ more or less of the recessive character present in 
them. If the number of tomato plants produced had been larg-e 
enough it would have been possible to find some of this type that 
were homozyg-ote and would have produced necked fruit during" the 
whole season. 

The next type has no sign of neck. (Type 4.) We have now 
seen the four types having- green leaves. Two had yellow and two 
had red fruit. Both yellow and red fruits showed types with and 
without neck on the fruit. 

Next, we shall see four corresponding typ&s having yellow foliage. 
The first two of them (types 5 and 6) have yellow fruit, and of these 
yellow leaved, yellow fruited types, No 5 has the neck, while No. 6 
does not. The other two yellow foliaged plants (types 7 and 8) 
have red fruit, the first with neck, the second without. Type No. 
8 is exactly like one of the original parent varieties. As already 
stated, type 1 was like the other parent. 

Types 2-7 represent new combinations of the characters of the 
parent varieties. The great value of Mendel's law lies in the fact 
that by means of it we are able to secure any desired combination 
of characters that can be found in plants or animals closely enough 
related to permit of crossing. 

Let us now return to the case of the hybrid wheats mentioned 
above. In the State of Washington, which is a great wheat growing- 
region, the only wheats the farmers had ever found satisfactory 
were three varieties of spring- wheat. The winter wheats that had 
been tried would not stand up and would shatter their grain easily. 
These three varieties of spring wheat were nearly always sown in 
the fall, because when they did go throug-h the winter they would 
yeild 50 percent more from fall sowing- than from spring sowing-; 
but about every third year they would freeze out. Farmers were 
eager for a g-ood variety of winter wheat. At the Washington Ex- 
periment Station, with which I was connected at the time, we se- 
cured a large number of varieties of winter wheat, tested them five 
years to determine which were best, and then crossed eleven of the 
best winter varieties with two of these spring- varieties, hoping to 
combine the winter character with the stiff straw and hard chaff of 
of the spring varieties. In this we were completely successful. 
The Washington State Experiment Station is now growing a large 



12 OHIO CORN IMPROVKMENT AvSSOCTATION 

number of these hybrids, having- selected out the homozygotes, thus 
securing new and tixed types of winter wheat eminently adapted to 
the peculiar climate and soil conditions of that region. Last year 
a few of the best of these hybrids were distributed to the farmers. 
The reports this year indicate that they out-yielded all other va- 
rieties agfainst which they were tested, and the farmers are very 
enthusiastic about them. 12,000 acres of these wheats have been 
sown this fall (1908). Thus, Mendel's law is not simplj- a plaything- 
but is a discovert" of fundamental importance. It has already had 
important applications, and that it will have man}- others can not be 
questioned. 

FANCY POINTS IN BREEDS. 

-I will next call your attention to a g-reat mistake that is made in 
establishing- many breeds of live stock. In mj' work I have on 
various occasions seen cattle, of no special breed with a narrow 
belt of white just behind the shoulder extending clear around the 
bod3\ Fortunately, no one has ever attempted to produce a breed 
of cattle with this particular form of color. It is entirely possible 
that such a breed mig-ht be produced, and from the standpoint of 
the breeder who can see nothing- but color mig-ht be hig-hly advan- 
tag-eous; but it must be remembered that in trying- to establish any 
such character there will for manj' years be a lot of heterozyg-otes in 
the breed and that mating- them will produce animals without the 
desired character. Thus, some of the best animals produced in the 
breed will be sacrificed because they lack some character which 
has nothing- to do with the real value of the animal. Any breed 
which has such a handicap will be retarded in its developement. 
The white face of the Hereford cattle is a case in point. This is 
not the only breed that has suffered because of color requirements. 
It happens that this white belt I have mentioned, but in a different 
form, has been fixed on a breed of cattle known as the "Dutch 
Belted." In them the belt is broad and covers the entire middle 
of the body. This breed has never amounted to much and probably 
never will as long as this color requirement is made of it. We have 
a similar character in the Hampshire breed of swnne. These pig-s 
are very pretty with their white belt around their shoulders, but 
many of the pigs born in this breed do not have perfectly devel- 
oped belts, and the efl^ort to fix the belt has resulted in the sacrifice 
of many valuable animals. It is doubtful if breeders of this breed 
should make the belt a requirement for registry. 



ANNUAL REPORT 13 



CONCLUSION. 



For lack of time I have been able to give you tonig-ht onh^ the 
merest outline of Mendel's law and its conseqences. When the 
law was first discovered there was very naturally a great deal of 
enthusiasm about it, especiallj' amongst the younger men, while 
some of the older men refused to recognize the validity of the law. 
There are very few left, now, however, who do not recognize in it 
an extremely valuable discovery. The field of its application is as 
yet comparatively limited because we have worked out only a few 
hundred of the hereditary characters which obey Mendel's law. 
Judging by past experience, there are many thousands of these 
characters yet undiscovered. The main work of the breeder now 
is to discover the Mendelian characters, while at the same time he 
is producing new and improved races. A few characters have 
been discovered which do not seem to follow Mendel's law. This 
may be because they obey some other law, or it may be because they 
are so complex on account of the presence of several Mendelian 
factors that we have not yet unraveled them. Perhaps some day, 
when we get through improving plants and domesticated animals, 
we may progress to a point where we can apply these important 
principles in improving a certain wild animal known to biologists by 
the dignified title of "Homo sapiens." 



UTILIZATION OF CORN VARIATIONS. 

BY C. P. HARTLEY, IN CHARGE OF CORN INVESTIGATIONS, 
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

It is of much importance and interest that of all our agricultu- 
ral crops the one that represents the greatest money value is also 
one that lends itself readily to improvement by the utilization of its 
many variations. It matters but little what we call these variations. 
Whether they be called sports, mutations, individual variations or 
whatsoever we choose, the fact remains that this useful plant year 
by year continues to produce them, and that to a greater or less de- 
gree they are transmitted and can be perpetuated. 

If these variations make improvement possible, why not have 
as much variation as possible? Why strive for uniformity? As 
much variation as possible is desired by the one who is striving to 
originate new types. From this wide variation he can then select 
those individuals varying in a desired direction. Among these 
widely varying individuals is one that under the given conditions 



14 



OHIO COBtN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 





Striking Corn Stalk Variations 



ANNUAL REPORT 



15 




Striking Corn Stalk Variations 



16 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

produces more and better grain than all the others. It also pos- 
sesses to a g-reater or less degree the power of transmitting to its 
progeny this power of great production. It is therefore not the 
desire of the practical corn g-rower to grow fields of widely varying 
individuals, but fields in which every individual will possess this 
power of g-reat production. Practical agricultural operations de- 
mand a certain degree of uniformity and the desire is to have the 
uniformity approach as nearly as possible the most profitable in- 
dividual. 




Portion of a Southern Ohio Farm Where Careful Systematic Seed Selection And 

Preservation is Practiced, and Where 700 Acres Annually Yield About 

75 Bushels of Corn Per Acre. 

"is there any limit to this improvement?" some ask. After we 
have obtained a strain of corn that under given conditions will pro- 
duce 100 bushels per acre, variations will still be found. Some of 
the individuals will produce more than others. Can we then go on 
improving till a "200 bushels per acre" strain is produced? Quite 
likely. Accompanying the increased yield changes in the form of 
the plant may take place. A stronger root system or a more even 
distribution of the weight of the ear around the stalk may develop. 
Whether there is a limit or not, it is clear that as a corn growing 
state and country we have not as yet arrived half way to the limit 
and further progress necessitates more work and more careful work. 

Corn shows, corn trains, corn bulletins, and corn lectures are 
g-ood things, but in themselves they do not increase the number of 
bushels per acre. They arouse interest, but if the actual field work 



ANNUAL REPORT 



17 



is not performed the quality of our corn and our yields decline. It 
is the actual production, selection and perpetuation of the best and 
the weeding- out of the undesirable that will produce profitable re- 
sults. 

The history of methods and'operations in general show, that with 
certain crude methods, a limit of progress may be reached, beyond 
which further progress is possible by an improvement in methods. 
We have improved our methods, further improvement is possible, 
but the present need is not so much an improvement of our methods 
as it is a more g^eneral application of good methods. 




The Large Piles Were Produced by Ears Selected from High Yielding Parents -the 

Alternating and Smaller Piles by Ears Selected Because of 

Their Fine Appearance. 

At present only a very small percentag^e of farmers are using 
any sj^stematic method for improving corn, or bettering the qualit}^ 
of the seed they plant. We can not hope for the general average 
production of a whole state to be materially increased till a con- 
siderable percentage of farmers apply g^ood methods of seed corn 
production, selection and preservation. Through the efforts of 
this organization, your State Experiment Station, your University, 
and the U.'S. Department of Agriculture there has been as much 
effective field work in corn breeding performed per square mile in 
Ohio as in any state. It is exceeding-ly encouraging that the yields 
obtained by the small percentage who are applying- corn improve- 
ment methods are about double those of the entire State. The 



18 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 




*^k 




Adaptation to Environment Shown by Southern Ohio and North Dakota 

Corn Fields 

following- table shows the yields of three strains the Department 
is improving as compared with the jdelds of the entire State for the 
same years. The figures given are from ten-acre plats charac- 
teristic of the surrounding country and which received no fertilizers 
nor extra culture. 



ANNUAL REPORT 



19 



Average bushels per Acre 



10 acre plat 



Entire State 



Corn Selection 77 on river bottom, Ohio 



1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

Average 




Corn Selection 78 on upland, Ohio 



1903 

1904 

1905 

1906 

1907 

Average. 




30 
33 
38 
43 
35 
35 8 



Corn Selection 133, Wisconsin 



1905 


82 
84 
100 
88 66 


38 


1906 


41 


1907 

Average 


32 
37 


General Average 


69.76 


36 07 




// is poss/d/e for the average p7'o- 
ductiofi of corn per acre of every state 
to he doubled, not only -without extra 
expense, but at a great saving of labor 
ajidland. Fortunately this statement 
is more especially applicable to the 
principal corn producing- states. 

When natural selection assists 
man's efforts the results are more 
rapidly accomplished, as in case of 
the northward extension of our corn 
belt. Some of the northern states 
have been doubling their total pro- 
duction with each succeeding decade. 
On the contrary, when environment 
favors an undesirable character, such 

„ ,,_„ ^iiooA r.u as fertile land and long seasons favor- 
Rows 118-2 and 118-3 Are of the , . *' 

Same Variety. Row 118-2 Was illg excessive stalk growth, more 

Planted With Seed From an Ear diligent work on the part of the corn 

That W^as Borne 2 3-4 Feet From '^ , ^ 

the Ground. Row 118-3 Was breeder is necessary, for natural se- 

Planted With Seed From an^Ear lection does not assist by preventing 



That Was Borne 7 1-2 Feet 
the Ground 



reproduction of the undesirable. 



20 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

The wise corn breeder will consider all the visible characters, 
i. e., those variations that are apparent to the eye, as secondary to 
the inherent ability of the individual to produce heavily and to 
transmit its high yielding- character to its progeny. Power to 
yield heavily under normal conditions, coupled with strong pre- 
potency to transmit this power are the most valuable characters an 
individual corn plant can possess. 





Two Cobs of the Same Size, the Upper One Containing 30 Percent 
More Grain Than the Other 

These most valuable characters can be determined only by 
actual field tests, and it is imperative for purpose of just compari- 
son that these performance records be ascertained under like nor- 
mal conditions. 

Of two ears that look as much alike as it is possible to find two 
ears, one often produces, under like conditions, fifty or seventy-five 
per cent more than the other. The producing power of a plant and 
its prepotency can not be determined by the appearance of the 
plant, much less by the appearance of a part of the plant. He who 
selects seed ears because of their fine appearance can in a few years 
produce a strain of corn in which many of the ears are of fine appear- 
ance, but no practical corn grower will plant an unproductive strain 
of corn solely because of the fine appearance of many of the ears. 



ANNUAL RKPORT 



21 



Poland China swine breeders bred for short noses, fine bone 
and smooth form and produced what they worked for, but in the 
meantime lost the most valuable character, productiveness. Poul- 
try breeders have produced striking results regarding plumage 
and forms of comb, simply to meet requirements of the show ring 
and without bettering the breeds in regard to the production of 
eggs or meat. It is, therefore, wise for us to profit by their mis- 
takes. We must resist the tendency to breed toward artificial 
standards and must breed corn for the purpose for which corn is 
grown, namely, profit. We must not be found spending our efforts 
producing types estabfished by the imagination, but must get 
started in the right direction and work for what is valuable, letting 
the form and appearance of the truly valuable individuals fix our 
standard of excellence. It has been too much the tendency of all 
classes of breeders to mould or breed to a fancied type, rather than 
allow the type to be established by individuals of greatest perform- 
ance records along the desired line. The following table shows the 
yields of ears bred one year for increased productiveness, in com- 
parison with prettier looking ears of the same corn selected from 
the general field because of their fine appearance. The fine ap- 
pearing ears were given Roman numbers and were planted in 
alternate rows with those taken from most productive rows of the 
previous year's breeding plat. The arrangement in the table is the 
same as it was in the field. 



Row 

Number 



1 

2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 



Ear 
Number 



XVI-1 

1-1 
XVI-4 

1-2 
XV 1-5 

2-1 
XV 1-6 

2-2 
XV 1-7 

2-3 
XV 1-8 

5-1 
XV 1-9 

5-2 
XVI-11 

5-3 
XV 1-12 

6-2 
XVI-13 

6-3 
XVI-14 

7-2 



Pounds of 
Ears Harvested 



Row 

Number 



170 

177^2 

139^ 

180 

139 

199 

173 

197 

159 

163 

154 

172 

133H 

176 

156 H 

194 

169 

174 

143H 

186 

153 K 

200 M 



23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 



Ear 

Number 



Pounds of 
Ears Harvested 



XVI-16 


144 ^ 


8-2 


174 


XVI-18 


166^ 


8-3 


176 


XVI-19 


108 


10-1 


193 


XVI-20 


138 


10-2 


177 


XVI-21 


185 


11-1 


181 


XV 1-25 


146 


11-2 


136 


XVI-26 


165 


11-3 


169 H 


XV 1-28 


206 


13-1 


181H 


XVI-30 


92 


15-1 


180 


XVI-31 


176 


15-2 


163 H 


XVI-33 


136 


15-3 


164M 



Cut on page 17 shows the smaller piles of corn produced by the 
seed ears of fine appearance alternating with the larger piles pro- 
duced by the seed ears selected from the progeny of high yielding 
parents. The test gave 18 bushels per acre greater production as 
the result of one year's selection for higher yields. 



22 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



It is the accumulation and perpetuation of desirable variations, 
such as hig-h jdelding- power, early maturity, proper form, etc., 
coupled with better cultural methods that has made possible the 
growing- of millions of bushels of corn where 25 years agfo it was 
considered impossible to grow corn. The application of these 
factors enables one man to g-row 100 bushels per acre while his 
neig-hbor under the same conditions produces but 25. 

With this proof and these demonstrations of the much higher 
yields and resulting increase in profits obtained by the few, all 
should join in the work till none who grows corn will under average 
weather conditions harvest less than 50 bushels per acre. Let us 
bring our best methods into general practic.^ Not till this is done 
will the state and country averages indicate the value of these 
methods. 

Those who have labored most earnestly have been rewarded 
by the development of the best strains for their respective 
sections. For each county one or more high yielding strains of 
corn should be produced.. It is the best and easiest way corn 
growers have of increasing the profits derived from their labor. 




Average Annual Production for Periods Given at Head of 

Columns. Productions Expressed in 

Millions of Bushels 



ANNUAL REPORT 



23 




Variation in Vi-^or Demonstrated by Planting Seed from Each Ear in Seperate Row. 



24 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 










A Straight-rowed Ear and the Crop It Produced, Which Consisted 

of 78 Straight and 7 Crooked-rowed Ears. (Contrast 

These Results With Results Obtained 

from Crooked-rowed Ear) 



ANNUAL REPORT 



25 





?,\5^ 



A Crooked-rowed Ear and the Crop it Produced.'Which Consisted 

of 53 Straight and 47 Crooked-rowed Ears. (Contrast 

These Results With Results Obtained 

from Straight-rowed Ear) 



26 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 







ANNUAL REPORT 



27 



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2.3 ^S 5''» ^ ^ 

M ■< 1 o 3 5 5 
,S "^ ° >< 



S" T s! r. 5: 
2.0 ST" =^ 



? s s ^ 
3 a — » 

? t3 « - 
— li O M 
" O 'O < 

rr -t n < 

sen 

< C-i n 

to 3 rT 

2. -n 



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Cfld- 2 
c ■< " 

_ rT 

S3 



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'^ _ O 

rt 3 



O Eu O -■ *^ rt <, 

G. f=- C >< rr ^ 5" 

3o?DD0D 

o a 2 t fT " 
<< a3 o c 




28 



OHIO CORN IMPOVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



SOME CORN STATISTICS. 

By H. H. Johnson, Special Agrent, Bureau of Statistics, U. S. Department of Agfriculture. 

The United States produces about four fifths of the world's 
corn. In the last forty j^ears Ohio has raised more than four 
billion bushels, which is about 5,6 percent of the total production 
for the United States for the same period. In recent years Ohio 
has contributed about 5 percent to the total corn production of the 
United States, although her acreage is less than 4 percent of the 
total area in corn in the United States. In 1908 Ohio produced 
practically 5 percent of the corn of the United States, on 3,4 per- 
cent of the total acreage. 

Ohio has the distinction of surpassing- all the important corn 
producing states in the average yield per acre. Proud of being the 
!^Iother of Presidents she has reason to be equally proud of her 
record in corn production. The onl}- states which produce larger 
yields per acre are Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and 
their total acreage is insignificant, being less than 1-I7th of the 
area of Ohio alone; hence, the^- maj^ be practically ignored. 

Seven States, having a larger area, excel Ohio in total pro- 
duction, namelj^: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, 
Indiana and Texas. Two other states, Georgia and Oklahoma, 
have larger areas in corn but smaller total production. Kentucky 
and Tennessee have, in a number of years, exceeded Ohio in corn 
area but never in total output. 

It may be interesting to note that the first ten states in area of 
corn are; 



Illinois with 


9,450,000 acres or 9.2 


percent 


Iowa " 


9,068,000 


' 9. 


" 


Texas " 


7,854,000 


" 7.8 


" 


Nebraska " 


7,621,000 


" 7.5 


" 


Missouri " 


7,542,000 


" 7.5 


" 


Kansas " 


7,100,000 


" 6.9 


" 


Oklahoma " 


4,929,000 


" 4.9 


" 


Indiana " 


4,549,000 


" 4.5 


•' 


Georg-ia " 


4,300,000 


" 4.5 


" 


Ohio 


3,550,000 " 


" 3.4 


i( 



of the total area 



These States contain over 65 percent of the total acreage of the 
United States and produce more than two-thirds of the entire 
crop of corn. 



Illinois 


31.6 


Iowa 


31.7 


Nebraska 


27. 


Missouri 


27. 


Texas 


25.7 


Kansas 


22. 


Indiana 


30.3 


Ohio 


38.5 


Oklahoma 


24.8 


Kentuckjr 


25. 



ANNUAL REPORT 29 

The first ten States in production for the year 1908 are: 

Bushels per acre Total production 

^ in bushels 

294,860,000 

287,456,000 

205,767,000 

203,634,000 

201,848,000 

152,900,000 

137,835,000 

130,900,000 

122,239,000 

84,823,000 

These ten States produce a total of 1,793,877,000 bushels or about 
70 percent of the total crop for the 3^ear 1908, valued at 
$1,130,000,000. 

The average yield per acre in Ohio is about 35 percent greater 
than the average yield for the United States as a whole. The 
relatively low average for the United States is due to the small 
jdeld in the Southern States. Georgia, for instance, with a larger 
area in corn than Ohio, produces only about one third as much to 
the acre. Her ten-year avearge yield is 10.8 bushels, while her 
yield for the 3'ear 1908 was 12.5 bushels per acre. 

The ten-year average 5'ield in the United States for the 
decade ending in 1908 and including the crop of 1908 was 25.6 
bushels per acre. The ten-j^ear average yield in Ohio for the same 
ten 5'^ears was 35.1 bushels. The preliminary estimate of the 
yield for the United States for the year 1908 was 26.2 bushels per 
acre and the yield for the State of Ohio was 38.5 bushels, showing 
that Ohio more than maintained her reputation for leading the 
United States. 

The highest ten-j^ear average production in Ohio was during 
the decade ending in 1879, when it was 36 bushels. From 1879 
there was an almost steady decline until 1895, when the ten-year 
average yield was 29 bushels for the period ending in the year 1895. 

Since 1895 there has been a steady increase in the average yield 
per acre in Ohio until, at the present time, the ten-year average yield 
is almost as high as at any previous period and amounts to 35.1 
bushels per acre. And, were it not for the one very poor year in 
that decade, namely 1901, when the yield in Ohio was 26.1 bushels 
and for the United States only 16.7 bushels per acre, the ten-year 
average at the present time would exceed the previous high mark 
of 36. bushels. 



30 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

In 1906 Ohio produced her banner crop and by far outclassed 
all other important states in her average yield per acre. The 
prospect for a crop at the time of harvest that year was 99 percent 
of a full normal crop. The average yield per acre that year w^as 
42.6 bushels and the total production for Ohio 141,645,000 bushels 
on 3,325,000 acres. 

The same year Indiana with a prospect at harvest for 96 per- 
cent of a full normal crop produced 39.6 bushels. Illinois with a 
prospect of 87 percent of a crop, 36.1 bushels and the United 
States average yield for that year reached the respectable figures 
of 30.3 bushels per acre. It is safe to predict that it will be a long 
time before a combination of large acreage and almost perfect con- 
dition will again occur. 

According to the yield of 1906 we would expect a full crop in 
Ohio to yield better than 44 bushels per acre on an average. It 
must be remembered, however that the standard of a full or 
normal crop may and does change. I hope that the time will 
speedily come in Ohio when a full normal crop, or 100 percent, 
will mean an average of 50 bushels to the acre. 

Improved seed, methods of selecting the same, cultivation, fer- 
tilizers and rotation will accomplish this result in time. A neglect 
of these same things will reduce the average yield of corn and all 
other crops and with their neglect Ohio would not only lose her 
proud place in the agricultural world, but the great State of which 
we are so proud would become a debtor and possibly a bankrupt. 

To use a very broad and comprehensive term a conservation 
of resources is necessary if the productive capacity is to be 
preserved and improved. The problem of the tenant must be 
met and attention directed toward future production, and 
"skinning" the land must be stopped. 

During the past ten years there has been a marked decrease 
in the quality of corn received at our principal markets. There is 
a great difference of opinion as to the cause of the decline in 
quality. There are those who say that the seed is too large and 
produces a variety that will not mature in our average season. 
The gentlemen who are devoting their time and talents to seed 
and soils may be relied upon to give you correct advice for your 
locality. 

The quality of the 1908 crop is good; considerably above the 
ten-year average quality. There is food for thought in the quality 
of the last crop. It took an unusual season to make the quality of 
the corn. It is conceded that the dry weather made the quality. 
Will such weather be necessary in the future to assure a good 
quality? ' 



ANNUAL REPORT 31 

The crop of 1907 wavS the other extreme and after a very 
wet season we had corn in March and April that was not dry, and 
much of it never did cure. Both of these seasons were out of the 
ordinary and cannot be used as examples. 

It has been demonstrated that good instruction, g-ood soil, 
g-ood seed and a proper mixture of brains with the soil, has kept 
Ohio in the front rank of corn producers. The State which pro- 
duces the larg-est average yield per acre in the United States is 
surely Queen of the King of crops. 

The great work of the agriculturist is in its infancy. The 
splendid work of our Colleges and Universities, Experiment 
Stations, State Departments of Agriculture, and the United States 
Department of Agriculture, so ably guided for the past twelve years 
by Secretary Wilson, will be prosecuted in the future with im- 
mense benefits to the progress of Agriculture and to the material 
prosperity of a great and resourceful country. 

By request Mr. Jqhnson supplemented his remarks by giving 
a brief synopsis of the methods of gathering crop statistics and 
issuing reports. Interest in the subject was manifested by the 
number of questions asked by the audience, at the close of the 
address, which were answered by the speaker. The lateness 
of the hour prevented a detailed explanation of the crop reporting 
methods but enough was said to show the thoroughness with which 
the work is done and the audience was invited to investigate the 
work of the Bureau of Statistics and to , co-operate in giving in- 
formation which reverts to the benefit of the farmers of the 
United States. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE 
ON IMPROVING CORN VARIETIES 

I. S. COOK, JR., CHILLICOTHE 
JAMES W. COOK, FOREST FRANK PLESSINGER, VERSAILLES 

PHILIP BAER, JR., CANAL DOVER CYRUS LONG, LONDON 

The importance of improving corn varieties which the farmers 
are growing in this state and the question which farmers are asking 
every day, whether or not they should get seed corn of a different 
variety from what they are growing by sending out of their county 
or state for it. necessitates a report and discussion at the state corn 
meeting upon experiences of farmers along this line of work. Hav- 
ing been set to work by this association our committee has prepared 
the following report: 



32 OmO CORN IMPROVKMENT ASSOCIATION 

In considering- the most important and best known varieties in 
this state we may name the following- of the yellow varieties: 

Reid's Yellow Dent Medina Pride 

Clarage Early Huron 

Learning Darke County Mammoth 

Hildreth Riley's Improved Favorite 

Golden Surprise Farmers' Favorite 

We also find a large number of strains, most of which originated 
by selection and lack of selection, from these yellow varieties. 
Strains of corn that, doubtless had a common origin, have become so 
changed that some of them have a growing period sf six months, 
reaching a height of eighteen or more feet, while others ripen in 90 
days, having attained a height of four or five feet. These changes 
are the result of selection. By selection a strain can be greatly 
improved in production and at the same time adapted to the soil and 
climatic conditions of the locality in which it is being improved. 
Because of differences in soil, climate and length of growing season, 
a corn, improved in one locality, does not afford the best seed for 
localities which are unlike it. It is therefore essential that we have 
breeders in nearly every county in the state. 

A few of our best known varieties of white corn are: 

Boone County White 
Silver Mine 
Farmers' Friend 
Forsyth's Favorite 
Dungan's White Prolific 

Now in looking over the yellow varieties, we see a great differ- 
ence in the time it takes to mature the corn of the Reid's yellow dent 
variety and the Early Huron. The Clarage corn is a mean between 
the two, and if the Clarage corn will mature in the central and north 
central counties, and can be made productive by selection and breed- 
ing, why send to some other state for a variety of which we do not 
know the time it will take to mature in our soil and locality? Do we 
send away for a variety of corn because we think it will give a better 
appearance in the show ring regardless of its yielding qualities in 
bushels per acre? If this is the reason we are hurting our bank 
account. As a general thing we do not recommend going outside 
of the state nor even to counties in the state which have a different 
latitude from the locality in which we are growing corn. 

If a farmer cannot decide on a variety of corn to grow, let him 
take several of the varieties we have mentioned and run a variety 
test for himself and find out which variety does best for him and 



ANNUAL REPORT 33 

then grow and improve this variety. We also recommend that 
farmers in a certain locality g"et together and run a varietj^ test for 
two or three years in succession and find out who has the most 
profitable corn for that locality. 

If we cannot conduct either one of the above tests, we may set 
to work to improve the variety of corn we are g-i-owing if we believe 
it is fairly productive without having been improved to ctny great 
extent in a systematic way. We recommend that we improve this 
variety, by selecting in the field from the plant those ears which we 
believe represent the desired type or the type which suits us best, 
testing these ears in the ear-to-row test and crossing the highest 
yielding ears. We believe this method of improving- corn varieties 
is better than introducing other varieties of which we do not know 
the yielding qualities. 

Suppose we had a neighbor who was growing a mixed variety of 
corn and we were growing a pure variety and trying to improve it 
by selection and breeding, now what would we do? We suggest that 
we get our neighbors tog'ether and agree to run a variety test and 
find out who has the best variety of corn and then each one grow 
and improve that variety. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EDUCATIONAL TRAINS 



H. C. PRICE, O. S. U., COLUMBUS 
H. W. ROBINSON, GREEN SPRING JOHN CUNNINGHAM, GAMBIER 

H. S. GRIMES, PORTSMOUTH J. W^. McCORD, COLUMBUS 



The first movement in Ohio of agricultural special trains took 
place in December, 1906, during holiday week. The train was run 
over the Cincinnati Northern, a division of the Big Four Railway 
System, and consisted of two audience cars, in which lectures were 
g-iven on corn and alfalfa respectively. The trip was begun at 
Germantown and ended at West Unit}^ covering one hundred and 
fifty-one miles, making sixteen stops, with audiences that ranged 
from fifty to two hundred and fifty in number. T^he trip was highly 
satisfactory, both to the parties who participated in it and to the 
railroad officials. 

The next trains were run in the spring of 1907, over the Balti- 
more & Ohio Southwestern and the Pennsylvania Railroads. The 
trains were made up similarly to the one run over the Cincinnati 
Northern and the audiences and interest manifested were all that 
could be expected. 



34 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

The train on the B. & O. S-W. was started at Columbus on April 
2nd., and ran as far as Blanchester the first day; on April 3rd., it 
covered the territory from Blanchester to Chillicothe; on April 4th., 
5th. and 6th., it covered the lines from Columbus to Morrow; from 
Morrow to New Paris, and from New Paris to Columbus. In the 
five days the train covered three hundred and ninety miles and made 
forty-two stops. 

During the past year, trains have been run over four different 
roads as follows: Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, January 2nd., 
3rd. and 4th.; Norfolk & Western, March 19th.; Cincinnati & Musk- 
ingum Valley, March 20th.; Toledo & Ohio Central, March 26th. and 
27th. Nearly nine hundred miles were covered on these four trips, 
occupying seven days; during this time addresses were made at 
sixty-two places to about eight thousand people. The interest was 
good in all cases and the attendance at all stations averaged large. 

These trains have enabled the men in the College of Agriculture 
and the Experiment Station to reach the farmers in larger numbers 
than they could possibly do in any other manner. The interest that 
this work aroused in the testing and selecting of better seed corn 
has doubtless done a great deal for the agriculture of our state and 
the improvement of the corn crop. 

Negotiations were made during the year with the Baltimore & 
Ohio, Clover Leaf, Nickel Plate and Wabash railroads relative to the 
running of special trains and some of these negotiations are still 
pending. 

Your committee has found the railroad officials uniformly favor- 
ably disposed to this work and glad to do what they can to further 
it, but, in many cases, the officials who are the most appreciative of 
the work are not in positions of authority and the officers to whom 
the decisions in regard to the trains have to be referred are not in 
position to see their actual value. 

Your committee would, therefore, recommend to communities 
that are desirous of having these trains that the matter should be 
taken up with your railroad, calling attention to what has been done 
in other sections of the state, and the need of it in your own com- 
munity. Resolutions adopted by farmers' organizations, such as 
farmers' institutes, granges, county corn improvement associations, 
etc., if forwarded to the proper railroad officials (whose names can be 
secured through your local railway agent) will receive most respect- 
ful attention and probably bring results. If the railroads find out 
there is a real demand for these trains they will take steps to provide 
them. 



ANNUAL REPORT 35 

After arrangfements have been made for the trains, their success 
depends upon the local interest at the diiferent stops. One or two 
g-ood, active, live men, who will do some personal work in advertising- 
the trains, will accomplish more than all the printed material that 
can be sent out. 

H. C. Price, Chairman. 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MARKETING CORN. 

H. W. ROBINSON, GREEN SPRINGS 
W. M. HARDMAN, YELLOW SPRINGS T. E. BOWSHER, WAPAKONETA 

The true purpose of this association is to increase the revenue 
to be derived from the corn crop of Ohio, whether it be derived 
directly by marketing or indirectly by feeding- on the farm. In 
so doing: the matters of seed, variety, soil preparation, culture, 
harvesting; and production are indeed important factors, yet we 
should not overlook the most advantag-eous means of direct reali- 
zation from the crop, especially since of the approximate average 
annual production, which may be placed at 125,000,000 bushels, 
25 to 30 percent is emptied into our elevators. 

It is of little consequence to the grain merchant or the con- 
sumer who buys the corn whether or not the seed from which it 
was grown tested high in germinating power; whether or not the 
variety was true to name; whether the soil and preparation were 
without fault or whether the yield was large or small. Their 
interest centers in the real value based on qualit}^ and condition. 

Of the leading cereals handled through the average elevator 
of the southern states corn has proved the most difficult and 
uncertain. The chief source of trouble has been the element of 
moisture. While it is no more within the power of the grower to 
eliminate excess of moisture in unfavorable seasons and during 
certain months or periods of curing than it is within his power to 
regulate atmospheric conditions, yet he must learn that this 
element goes largely to determining the basis upon which the 
value is calculated, resting of course upon the prevailing market 
price. 

The degree of its presence has been considered from the 
earliest period of the corn traffic as a business in the commercial 
world, but only within very recent years has it been recognized 
and become a factor in the formation of grades. Science has 
found and offered the solution, whereby we are able to determine 
with accuracy the presence of moisture by the moisture-tester 
today in general use in our markets and in the grain trade. At 



36 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

the last meeting- of the Grain Dealers' National Association, held last 
month, at which uniform grades of all grain were adopted, we find this 
test embodied as one of the requisites in establishing grades of 
corn. For example, the rules specify that No. 1 shelled corn shall 
not contain more than 15 percent moisture; No. 2 not more than 
16 percent, No. 3 not more than 19 percent and No. 4 not more than 
22 percent. Moisture thus is the principal element forming the 
difference in price of different grades. Not only has this test been 
the means of placing the handling of corn on a safer and more 
pleasant basis for the grain merchant, but it serves the purpose of 
making corn a high value collateral. 

Another element that goes to make up the grade of corn is 
color. We find a diiference in our markets of from 1 to 3 cents 
per bushel because of the color alone. In our Northern markets 
yellow ranks the highest in value, while in the South white corn 
commands the highest price. It would appear from this that it is 
not a matter of preference in color but rather of quality, as it seems 
to be generally true that yellow varieties thrive best in the North 
while the white does best in the South. Mixed corn, regardless of 
colors, is always the lowest in market value, and in our leading 
markets today is from 2 1-2 to 3 cents per bushel lower than 
yellow. Thus it would seem to be largely a matter of aesthetic 
taste even though we are slow to acknowledge this as the true 
reason. Nevertheless it appears to be a fact that the beautiful 
golden corn appeals to the eye of both the feeder and the miller to 
the extent of 1 to 2 cents per bushel. However, with a view to 
justice to the successful grower of white corn, it would be no 
more than fair to assume that his corn might be of equal value in 
comparison with yellow if the white varieties were more generally 
cultivated; but until they are he must be content with second place 
in the industry as far as marketing is concerned. There is no 
consolation to oif er to the grower of mixed corn. Even though he 
produce a corn hig-h in quality he must always expect to be seated 
on the rear benches of our markets and think of his position, as a 
Greek philospher expresses it, "a delightful prejudice." 

Maturity does not necessarily enter into this discussion. It 
might be well however to urge the necessity of growing corn that 
will be sure to ripen in the average season, for immature corn can 
only be of low value and even at its real value it is hard to place in 
the markets. This leads us to sorting, which should not be 
overlooked. Regardless of season or care in culture on the part 
of the grower, there will be found a greater or less number of 
soft or immature ears. Better leave them in the fiield to rot than 



ANNUAL REPORT 37 

haul them to market. They not only spoil the g^eneral appearance 
of the corn and reduce the grade, but the grain buyer is afraid of 
them and he not only cuts the price according to the grade but if 
he has been in business long enough to have paid for his experience 
in handling unsorted corn by having a crib of it rot in the center or 
a bin of it burn he will also figure on some insurance as you may 
call it, which means more cut in the price. The grower should 
sort his corn then before taking it to market to realize the most 
money out of it He should also sort his feeding corn or he may 
lose by heating during the curing process. However the risk is 
not so great in a small crib. Soft corn may be fed to stock on the 
farm with some value, while it is not only worthless in the market 
but reduces the value of the good corn. In sorting it is not neces- 
sary to discard ears because they are small provided the kernels 
are matured. Again a limited proportion of small kernels need 
not lower the grade if they are sound. 

It would seem that our markets might consider the food value, 
or amount of protein, in arriving at the value of corn. However 
this point has never gained recognition and we must look for the 
benefit to be derived from the breeding of corn high in protein to 
come in the form of a higher g-eneral standard of value as com- 
pared with other grain. 

So much for the corn itself; but since the most of the corn 
marketed in this state is brought to the elevator in the ear the 
amount and condition of the cob is also of marked importance. 
Thus far the grain dealer has found the buying of cobs an un- 
profitable business, and of course he only wants to buy what is 
necessary to get the corn. The cob is far more susceptible to 
change in moisture than the torn. It is unnecessary to state that 
a large cob is always objectionable to the buyer, because the larger 
the cob the greater the change in the weight of the ear according 
to the variations in atmospheric conditions. Two years ago this 
month a test was made with a new ear of corn having a very large 
cob which was brought into an office. It weighed 22 ounces. It was 
weighed each day thereafter for ten da3^s, and at the end of that 
period it weighed 15 1-2 ounces a loss of 29 1-2 percent. The corn 
was in average condition and its possible shrinkage was not more 
than 3 percent making the loss on cob moisture 26 1-2 percent. 
While this test is extreme, yet it is presented in order to illustrate 
the possible. Thus we can see that the farmer would better pro- 
duce 45 bushels per acre of average sized cob than to have produced 
60 bushels per acre of such large cob corn. It is of common in- 
terest to the grower and buyer to breed a cob no larger than is 
necessary to produce a good ear, and to produce the greatest 
number of bushels per acre. 



38 OraO CORN IMPROVEMKNT ASSOCIATION 

The introduction of the shredder and husker durinj? recent 
years should divert our attention to the husking of corn. Machine 
husked corn seldom commands the price of hand husked corn, 
because there is more or less corn removed from the cob in the 
process, thus reducing the value of the ear. Again, corn husked 
in this way generally comes to market in a half husked condition 
unless the farmer has gone to the labor of rehusking it. From 
this the waste is increased and with the loss of corn mentioned 
can but result in a reduction of price. Again, the corn removed 
from the cob is more or less crushed and broken, making it of 
a low value and practicall}^ unmerchantable. While husking 
machinery is being improved from year to year, yet these ob- 
jections have not been overcome. Farmers pronounce it more 
expensive than hand husking but say they can better utilize the 
stover, while on the other hand they are driven to it because of the 
inability to procure labor to hand husk it. Machine husking has 
been dubbed "hogging" b^- the grain dealers, and it seems de- 
serving of the name. It should certainly be repulsive to the 
farmer who takes pride in producing a nice corn to see it coming 
forth from the machine in a mangled, half husked condition. So far 
the method has proven unpracticable and unprolitable to the farmer 
and annoying to the bu^-er and therefore should not be encouraged. 

We would finally call the attention to care in hauling corn to 
market. Winter being the most convenient time for marketing 
corn we too frequentlj^ see it being hauled in rain or snow without 
being covered. We should carefully note that corn should receive 
the same attention in this respect that wheat or any other grain does. 

In conclusion we can but urge the necessit}' of co-operation 
between the grower and the buyer. In this era of equity and jus- 
tice what is beneficial to the one in demanding a corn in the market 
of high quality should be equally so to the other in commanding the 
highest market price. Harmony of purpose can but result in a 
mutual benefit. 

If for any reason the farmer is unable to deliver good corn to 
the market he should not expect the highest price. On the other 
hand the buj^er should not pay the top price for it because bj' so 
doing he discourages the interest to deliver good corn. We must 
conclude then that it is within the power of the grain merchant to 
accomplish much in the way of inducing the grower to produce 
and market better corn by bu3'ing on the merit of the corn. Your 
committee on marketing would commend to the association a 
further consideration of this important factor throughout the 
coming year. H. W. Robinson, Chairman. 



ANNUAL REPORT 39 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE 
ON ROTATIONS AND FERTILIZERS. 

ALFRED VIVIAN, O. S. U., COLUMBUS 

TASSO TERRELL, NEW VIENNA O. H. FAWCETT, BELLEFONTAINE 

FRANK BALYEAST, VAN WERT DAN EGBERT, TIFFIN 

Your committee on Rotations and Fertilizers has very little to 
offer at this time in the way of a report. This committee was 
appointed only a few weeks ago and has had no opportunity to meet 
and formulate a report. Last evening three members of the com- 
mittee held a short session in which they agreed on the plan of action 
herein described for the ensuing year. 

This committee does not feel that it is sufficiently well informed 
regarding the rotations or fertilizers in use at the present time by 
the farmers of Ohio to be able to make a report on present practice 
that will be of any value. The committee therefore proposes merely 
to outline for the Association its proposed line of action for the 
ensuing year without making any suggestions at this time as to the 
advisability of any system of rotation or fertilization. 

As far as we can find, no very exhaustive study of the rotations 
and fertilizers used by the corn growing farmers of this state has 
been made up to the present time. We feel that we can do no more 
valuable work for the coming year than to attempt to collect some- 
what extensive data on this point. In other words we feel that a 
knowledge of what is actually being done by our corn growers (both 
good and bad) at the present time is absolutely necessary before we 
can outline work for the future or make suggestions which will have 
any likelihood of being practically valuable. For this reason we 
propose to devote the major part of our time for the coming year to 
collecting all the data possible regarding the rotations and the 
methods of fertilization now practiced in the different counties of the 
state. 

The state will probably be divided into sections, each section 
being the especial object of study for one member of the committee. 
It will be necessary for us to qall on the members of the local 
associations for aid and we hereby earnestly request their coopera- 
tion in what we realize is an undertaking of considerable magnitude. 
The secretaries of the county associations especially can render us 
most efficient assistance and we hope that our request for aid which 
will be sent out in due time will meet with their hearty cooperation. 
We desire to know just what rotations are used in every county of 
the state, and if manures and fertilizers are used, what kind, in what 
quantity and when such fertilizers are applied. If the different local 



40 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. 

associations will meet the committee half waj' in gathering- this 
statistical information we feel sure that we can collect a lot of data 
that will be valuable not only to this association but to agriculture 
at large. 

While it is not possible to foretell the results of such a study 
there is no reason to doubt that the facts and figures so acquired 
will give us a basis for an intelligent study of rotation and fertiliza- 
tion as thej^ exist and will point the way to valuable suggestions as 
to future policy — suggestions which should lead to better practice. 

The committee feels that it cannot leave this subject without 
recommending to the members of this association that they all make, 
during the coming winter, a careful stud}^ of Bulletins 182 and 183 
of the Ohio Experiment Station. These bulletins, epitomizing as 
they do the many years of investigation carried on by Director 
Thorne with manures and fertilizers on various crops are replete 
with information which should be in the hands of every farmer. 
These bulletins should not be read superficially but should be 
studied assiduously and be made a part of the very life of the farmer 
who is trying to make his farm yield him the best profit, and who at 
the same time desires to maintain and improve the fertility of his 
soil. The more one studies these bulletins the more he is impress- 
ed wath the wonderful possibilities of crop production under 
intelligent handling of the soil. One of the instructive points 
brought out by this study of the maintenace of fertilit}^ is the 
apparent fact that the soil is the fundamental thing in determin- 
ing- the fertilizer to be used and not the crop grown thereon. In 
other words that the fertilizer which will produce best results 
with one crop on a given soil is likely to be the one which will pro- 
duce best results with all crops on the same soil. The farmer 
therefore may feel sure that one system of fertilizing may be used 
for all his crops provided he adopts the system which is most 
rational for his soil. 

These bulletins show also that stable manure is the fertilizer 
par excellence for corn and, conversely that corn is the crop which 
gives the most marked returns for the use of stable manure. This 
fact is borne out b}^ the results obtained at other experiment 
stations, so that we can safely say that for corn at least stable 
manure gives better returns than any combination of commercial 
fertilizers. A stud}^ of Bulletin 183 will show that the very largest 
return on corn was obtained from stable manure reinforced with 
forty pounds of acid phosphate to the ton of manure. Wouldn't it 
pay everybody to use a little acid phosphate or floats with the 
manure? Alfred Vivian 



ANNUAL REPORT 41 

DONATION OF THE OHIO FARMER TROPHY CUP. 

BY JOHN F. CUNNINGHAM. EDITOR OHIO FARMER, CLEVELAND. 

I assure you that it g-ives me g-enuine pleasure to be able to 
address this association, and to present the Ohio Farmer 
sterling- silver cup, to be awarded annually for the best county 
display at the state corn show. Judg-ing from the activity of the 
men in charg^e, we all anticipated that this show and meeting: would 
beag-reat success, and this anticipation is certainh^ borne out by the 
unprecedented attendance, and by the g^reat selection of g-ood corn 
to be seen in the exhibition halls. As for the Ohio Corn Improvement 
Association, I believe that we are all more than satisiied with its re- 
markable g-rowth. Most of us were amazed, last evening-, when the 
membership was reported to be something over two thousand. 
Such a membership, in an org-anization that is not 5'et a yearling-, not 
only demonstrates the fact that the association is being- manag-ed by 
hustlers, but also the more important fact that the farmers of Ohio 
are taking- a gfenuine and active interest in better corn and 
more of it. 

The prizes at the show are a rich lot, and the interest in the 
competing exhibits is keen, but it is quite essential to the success 
of the movement for better corn that we all realize that the corn 
show is not the final result soug-ht. The show is but one of the 
means used to accomplish the real result, which is to interest every 
corn g-rower in improving every stalk of corn to be grown upon his 
farm. Thus the corn show, with its prizes for the winners, will 
bring about g-ood results, indirectly, just as did a promise made by 
an old-time German vineyardist, according- to the story. This man, 
upon his death bed, told his sons that somewhere in the vineyard 
was buried a pot of g-old; if they searched for it they would find it 
and be richly rewarded. When the ag-ed man had been laid to rest, the 
sons began to dig about among the roots of the grapevines in search 
of the hidden treasure. Time went by and still they searched fruit- 
lessly. They never found the gold, but their stirring of the soil 
made the grapevines take on new life, and the increase in the fruit 
was worth far more to them, with its attendant lesson, than the pot 
of gold would ever have been. In the same way, farmers who try to 
improve their corn so as to win a prize in the corn show will study 
corn, think corn and talk corn, to the lasting benefit, not only of 
themselves but of their neighbors also. These trophies then, are 
intended not only as prizes for the winners, but as an encourage- 
ment to all who grow corn. 



42 



OmO CORN IMPROVKMENT ASSOCIATION 



A cit}^ man once decided to go into the poultry business. So he 
built a fine chicken-house and equipped house and yard with the 
most up-to-date appliances. Then he went to a fancier to get his 
stock and was prevailed upon to buy bantams. Much to his 
disappointment the eg-gs were small, and, feed the hens how he 
might, he could not increase the size of the eggs. So, one day, he 
noticed some ostrich eggs for sale down town, and an inspiration 
struck him. He bought one of the big eggs, punched holes in either 
end and hung it up in plain view of his bantam hens, and under the 
ostrich egg he hung a sign, printed in large letters, which read: 
"Keep your eyes on this and do the best you can." And so I say to 
the corn growers of Ohio, keep these trophies in mind, and do the 
best you can, not only to win the trophies, but to make more and 
better corn. 




ANNUAL REPORT 43 

Inasmuch as this trophy is a cup, it seems to me that an ap- 
propriate toast would be in good taste, so I wish to offer this one, 
which occurred to me on the train, yesterday: 

To Indian Corn — the King- of American farm crops. An inspira- 
tion to the husbandman when its tirst green streaks of promise 
appear upon the fresh ground of the springtime. A solace of the 
heated season when its rustling blades whisper promises of benefits 
to come. A reward for industry, diligence and good judgment 
when the tented fields show that the harvest has been garnered, and 
the sheltering husk yields forth its treasures of white and gold. 



DONATION OF THE NATIONAL STOCKMAN 
AND FARMER TROPHY CUP 

BY E. S. BAYARD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NATIONAL STOCKMAN 
AND FARMER, PITTSBURG, PA. 

While I am surprised at being called out to present this cup I 
must say that the duty is also a pleasure. It is always a pleasure to 
encourage an association of this kind, and the National Stockman 
and Farmer is always ready to do it in whatever way it can. But I 
take it that long speeches are not necessary to encourage any 
association, and I have known them to have the opposite effect on 
some, so I shall be brief. 

I once heard a story about a Kentuckian of the olden time who 
departed this life and for whose funeral no minister could be had, so a 
neighbor was called on to say a few words. He arose and said: "The 
deceased was a good citizen. He raised good cocks and fought them; 
he kept good whiskey and he drank it; he bred good horses and he 
raced them. He was a model citizen." Whether all you gentlemen 
can qualify under the old Kentucky definition I do not know, but I trust 
that when the time comes at least it may be said of each of you, "He 
grew good corn and he showed it," and, judging by the exhibits in 
these other rooms, it can be said of many. 

I am a firm believer in the utility of corn shows. They are good 
to stir us up, to show us all types and perhaps better types of corn 
than we have. When you get a thousand or two thousand corn- 
growers together to talk corn you are bound to do somebody some 
good and are very likely to do many people much good. But while 
all this and much more is true of the corn show we must not lose 
sight of the main object of all this corn work. This object is not 
corn show, it is not show corn, but it is more bushels of good eoni to 
the acre. That is the object, gentlemen, and it should be kept in 



44 



OmO CORN" IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



mind. The show is one means to that end, these lectures are 
another, the demonstrations we have in the tield are another, but 
none of these is the chief end or object. More corn to the acre 
should be the slog-an of the corn improver. With these sug-gestions 
I leave the cup with you, trusting- that it may add some interest to 
your contests. You have a great show and a g-reat meeting- for 
a first attempt — upon which you should be congratulated and for 
which I am sure you have your hard-working- officers to thank. 




ANNUAL REPORT 45 

DONATION OF THE FARM MANGEMENT TROPHY CUP. 

BY W^. J. SPILLMAN, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

This beautiful cup has been donated to the association by friends 
who are interested in the development of the farm management 
investigations now being conducted by the Ohio State Experiment 
Station in cooperation with the Office of Farm Management, which I 
have the honor to represent. It is appropriate on this occasion to 
review briefly the origin of farm management investigtions in the 
Department of Agriculture and to give the history of the establish- 
ment of cooperative relations with the Ohio Experiment Station in 
this work. 

In 1894 I assumed the responsibility^ for the experimental field 
work of the Experiment Station of the state of Washington, the 
region being one with whose agriculture I was not familiar. A large 
number of experiments were put in operation with a view to learning 
those things I did not know about agriculture in that section. The 
college farm of 190 acres proved to be too small to hold the experi- 
ments that were outlined, nor would the money available suffice. 
After a few years I had become acquainted with a large number of 
the best farmers in the state and I found what I might have known 
before, that these farmers knew more about farming than I did. 
Something like half the problems I had been experimenting on had 
already been solved b}^ farmers scattered here and there over the 
state. Yet it could hardly be said that the farmers generally under- 
stood any of these problems, though individual farmers here and 
there understood one or more of nearly all of them. 

It became more and more evident that if the experience of the 
better class of farmers in the state could be gathered together and 
interpreted intelligently a great advance in the science of agriculture 
would be made. The duties of the position I held were so exacting 
that I could not find the opportunity to make an adequate study of 
farm practice. In December, 1901, I came to the Department of 
Agriculture at Washington. There I found I was free to develop 
my own policy. The study of farm practice, especially on the most 
successful farms, has been continued since that time, and we now 
have twenty-seven men engaged in this work. 

Unfortunately, the publications we have been able to issue thus 
far give only the most meager idea of the work we are conducting. 
It is as if we were prospecting a gold mine. The location and outline 
of the main paying streaks are beginning to appear. Meanwhile, we 
have been describing some of the indivdual nuggets we have un- 



46 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMBNT ASSOCIATION 



earthed. These are the individual farms whose system of manage- 
ment has been described in our bulletins. We hope before many 
more years to beg-in to publish bulletins dealing with the general 
principles involved in farm management. 




One of the most fruitful lines of work we have^^undertaken, but 
about which we have as yet published nothing, is the detailed study 
of the work on selected farms with a view to finding the cost of every 
kind of farm operation and the amount of labor required for every 
department of work on the farm. These studies include also the 
character and cost of the necessary equipment for farms of all types 



ANNUAL REPORT 47 

and sizes, along- with a careful studj^ of the system of management 
in vogue on the farm. It is this line of work in which we found the 
Ohio Experiment Station deeply interested and eag-er to cooperate 
with us. 

Because of the highly satisfactory system of cooperation we 
have with your State Experiment Station we have been able to insti- 
tute investigations of this kind on more farms in Ohio than in any 
other state and with less expenditure of funds. To say that we are 
highly gratified to be able to make such an arrangement is putting- 
it mildly. We propose to put more energy, time and money into the 
work in Ohio next year than we are doing- this. We have more 
applications from farmers who want to join in this work than our 
available help will permit us to accept. We hope next year to be 
able to extend the work. 

This cup is to be given by the association as a prize in a contest 
for the best records relating to a field of corn. The object in giving- 
the prize is to aid in developing- the must practical and useful 
system of making- farm records. Just at a time when the g-reat 
middle west has been farmed so long- that exploitive types of farming 
are no long-er permissible, it is gratifying to see the g-eneral interest 
which has been manifested by the Ohio farmers in the efforts which 
are being- made to work out the general principles involved in farm 
management. I hope the giving of this prize may stimulate more 
careful attention to those details of farm manag-ement which deter- 
mine the difference between success and failure. Ohio is already a 
leader in good farming. The success of this meeting- leads me to 
hope that this state will continue to lead in this g-ood work. 

DONATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL 
COLLEGE TROPHY CUP. 

BY A. B. GRAHAM, SUPERINTENDENT OF AGRICULTURAL 
EXTENSION, O. S. U., COLUMBUS. 

When the three cups already presented have been arranged in 
order of size, the fourth, the Ag-ricultural Colleg-e trophy, seems so 
small that it may appear to you as only a model, but I want to assure 
you that it is the real thing. I am reminded of a story about a lady 
who had a husband about whom she had often heard the remarks 
"He is a model husband; he is a model man, etc." Not being- 
exactly sure that she knew the meaning of the word 'model' she 
consulted the dictionarj^ She was somewhat embarrassed when 
she learned the definition — "A small imitation of the real thing-." 

The story doesn't exactly apply, for this is the real thing- with 
the true ring. 



48 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



This cup is to be known as "The Agricultural College Trophy," 
and is to be awarded annually to the township, villag-e or special 
district high school whose members raise and exhibit the best corn 
according to the rules of this association. 




The awarding of this cup shall stand for more than mere corn 
raising; it shall stand for culture quite as much as for ag-riculture; 
it is hoped that it may quicken an interest in science that leads the 
way for the real agriculturist; it should stimulate a community 
interest in all that stands for the best in the individual to make the 
best of living and the most of making- a living. 

Gentlemen, please accept this cup from the Faculty of the 
College of Agriculture, and award it to the school whose efforts are 
well directed toward making the active, citizen-artisan on the farm. 



ANNUAL REPORT 49 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON 
SCORE CARD AND CORN JUDGING 

C. G. WILLIAMS, O. A. E. S., WOOSTER 

H. P. MILLER, WESTERVILLE J. W. McCORD, COLUMBUS 

W. M. HARDMAN, YELLOWSPRINGS I. S. COOK, JR., CHILLICOTHE 

The very general use of the score card in the final selection of 
seed corn necessitates the preparation and indorsement of such a 
card by the Ohio Corn Improvement Association. In preparing- 
this score card your committee feel called upon to say that they 
have had in mind the needs of the corn grower rather than the 
professional corn judg-e. The latter is apt to find any sort of a 
score card a hindrance, rather than a help. 

The aim of 5'our committee has been to include in the Ohio 
score card only those points which field experiments have shown to 
have significance in so far as yield and market quality are con- 
cerned. They stand ready to make such changes in the future as 
field tests may call for. 

SCORE CARD FOR DENT CORN 

1 Adaptability 25 

2 Seed condition 15 

3 Shape of kernel 15 

4 Uniformity IS 

5 Weig-ht of ear 10 

6 Lenglh and proportion 10 

7 Color of grain and cob 5 

8 Butts and tips 5 

Total 100 

EXPLANATORY NOTES 

1 Adaptability: Of first consideration in the selection of 
seed corn. Indicated by the filling out of kernels, by ripeness and 
by the utilization of soil and climatic conditions. 

2 Seed condition: Of vast importance, for seed corn that 
will not grow is worse than worthless. Indicated by solidity of 
ears and of kernels on the ear; by brightness of color, especially of 
germ and by plumpness of tip. While the germination test is the 
final arbiter the trained eye can determine much. 



50 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

3 Shape of kernel: Kernels should broaden gradually from 
tip to crown, with edges straight so that they touch the full length 
and should be wedge-shaped without coming to a point. Ob- 
served from the edge they should have uniform thickness. Thin, 
shrunken, sharp-pointed kernels are very objectionable. 

4 Uniformity and trueness to type: The ears selected 
should be uniform in size, shape, color, indentation and size of 
kernel. Uniformity or trueness to the type determined upon is 
essential to progress in corn improvement. Uniformity of kernels 
is essential to machine planting. 

5 Weight of ear: To be determined by the use of scales 
after corn is thoroughly air dry. Many seasons this is not 
practical before January. Where the stand and other conditions 
of growth are equal, weight of ear is a good indication of pro- 
ductiveness. 

6 Length and proportion: Length will vary according to 
environment. No standard can be set by the score card save that 
set by maturity and proportion. Circumference is measured at 
one-third the distance from butt to tip. It should not exceed 
four-fifths, nor fall below three-fourths the length. 

7 Color of grain and cob: Grain should be free from mix- 
ture. Uncertain tints in cob and grain, and off-colored kernels 
are evidences of mixing. White corn should have >vhite cobs and 
yellow corn should have red cobs. 

8 Butts and tips: Kernels should extend in regular rows 
over the butt and against the shank. The shank, however, should 
have sufficient size to support the ear. Swelled, open or badly 
compressed butts, as well as those having kernels of irregular size 
are objectionable. 

The tips should have kernels of even size, well dented and 
preferably in regular rows. An under-sized ear is more objec- 
tionable with a completely capped tip than with a little bare cob. 
A sharply tapering tip is not desirable. 

FIELD SCORE CARD. 

In answer to a demand for a score card for use in the field, in 
the plant selection of seed corn, this committee would recommend 
the following card: 

1 Adaptability 35 

2 Vigor 25 

3 Height of plant, and height and angle of ear 15 

4 Uniformity and trueness to type 10 

5 Weight of ear (estimated) 15 

Total 100 



ANNUAL REPORT 51 



EXPLANATORY NOTES. 



1 Adaptability Plants must be adapted to the average soil 
and seasonal conditions prevailing- in the locality. Corn that is too 
late or too early in maturing, or that shows a lack of adaptability to 
soil conditions, should be cut accordingly. 

2 Vigor: Indications of vigor are seen in uprightness of stalk: 
in a well developed stalk, leaf and ear; in freedom from disease. 
In marking for vigor note carefully the conditions of growth. 

3 Height of plant and ear: Cut for extremes in either di- 
rection in the case of both plant and ear. 

4 Uniformity: Uniformity of plant and ear in manner of 
growth, height of plant and ear, etc., and conformity to the type 
determined upon, 

5 Weight of ear: While it can only be estimated at the time 
selections are made, yet even then it is an important point to take 
into consideration in selecting for high yield, if the conditions of 
growth are noted. 

VARIETY SCORE CARD. 

There seems to be a demand for a score card for use in 
judging varieties of corn at husking time, as tested both by in- 
dividuals and by local Corn Improvement Associations. The 
committee would recommend the following: 

1 Bushels per acre. (Uniform moisture test) 50 

2 Maturity 25 

3 Uniformity and trueness to type 15 

4 Color 10 

Total 100 

EXPLANATORY NOTES 

1 Bushels per acre: That which we grow corn for. Theories 
must give place to facts. 

If impracticable to shell all the corn, a dozen average ears of 
each variety may be shelled, the percent of grain determined and 
the total yield of grain computed therefrom. 

All yields to be reduced to a uniform moisture content. 

2 Maturity: To be determined by the actual condition of 
corn. Cut for unripeness. 

3 Uniformity: Uniform as to size, shape and type of ears, 
and marketability. 

4 Color: An indication of purity and market quality. 

C. G. Williams, Chairman. 



52 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UTILIZATION 

REID CARPENTER. MANSFIELD 
G. E. JOBE, CEDARVILLE E. C. DARLING. NELLIE 

Extraordinary conditions confront the farmer this year in 
regard to the utilization of the corn crop. The very fact that the 
price of corn is high for this season of the year, and that the price of 
fat live stock is not as compensative in relation to the price of corn 
as we think it should be, is one cause for so many farmers putting 
their crops off the farms and on the market in a way that we fear 
will be detrimental to the best agricultural interests of our country. 

Live stock markets are reactory — we always expect prices to 
depreciate at this season of the year for a short time. We believe 
they are on the way to become more compensative to the farmers. 
As we look about us to see what is being fitted for the future 
markets, this fall and winter, we do not find the feed lots being 
occupied as in past years. That means better prices in the future, 
and why should we be so very anxious to dispose of the present 
crop so soon? We also think it a poor policy to always be changing 
our farm plans by going extensively into one line of feeding one year 
and the next year reversing the system so radically that we scarce- 
ly know where we are. 

We do not wish the important fact to be overlooked that when 
we sell our corn crop to the elevator we are, in a measure, selling 
our farms in small doses and robbing ourselves of the fertility that 
should be kept at home. We do not depreciate the fact that it is 
necessary to sell a portion of the crop for certain uses, especially as 
food products in its several and different ways, but the farmer who 
has the ability and desire to keep and feed his crop upon his farm 
should by all means do so. If you should ask how, we would say 
"By the different methods used throughout the country." 

It was suggested to the committee on utilization that the method 
of using the crop of corn produced on the farm of each member of 
the committee be included in this report. While there is nothing 
new or novel in our method of using our corn crop, it may be inter- 
esting to some members of the Association. 

The firm of Carpenter & Ross are breeders of Shorthorn cattle 
and Duroc Jersey hogs. Manwalton Farm contains in itself 220 
acres and in addition 200 acres under lease to the firm. On these 
farms, we have, the last year, raised about 50 acres of oats, 50 acres 
of hay, 50 acres of corn, 7 acres of turnips and beets, and 12 acres of 
barley. Nothing is sold off the land except live stock. This winter 
there will be fed about 125 head of Shorthorns and about 125 head of 



ANNUAL REPORT S3 

Duroc Jerseys, also 10 head of horses. All hay, straw and fodder 
are stored in the barns, nothing- is left out of doors. Of the corn 
crop about one-half, or 24 acres, was put in the silo just 
when it was getting- ripe; the balance was husked and 
shredded and all fodder blown into the various barns. The corn 
was all cut with a corn harvester just as close to the g-round as 
possible, not leaving in scarcely any case, more than six inches of 
stubble with the root, and often less. 

The larg-est barn is equipped with a gasoline eng-ine that drives 
the cutting and grinding apparatus and also does the pumping of 
water, when this is necessary, from a deep well. All corn fed to the 
cattle is ground with the cob and fed in the shape of cob and corn 
meal. When the cob has become too dry to grind, the shelled corn is 
ground. Up to the first of December there will be no ensilage fed 
but it will begin to be fed about that time and will be largely confined 
to cows that are raising calves. 

Up until December 1st, abont 15 bushels of cut hay, 15 bushels 
of corn and cob meal and 15 bushels of ground oats or barley are all 
mixed together and often an equal amount of alfalfa meal or Alfalimo 
is substituted for one-half of the cut hay. When the ensilage is fed 
about three gallons of ensilage and three quarts of corn cob meal are 
mixed and fed to each cow and the younger stuif in a less measure. 
At all times the racks are kept full of hay or shredded fodder. 

In the above ration the show cattle will be fed ensilage instead of 
cut hay. As to the amount given to each animal, it is given all it will 
eat up clean. 

During the last eight weeks or more we have been able to feed 
all cattle on pasture a generous supply of turnips, starting with two 
wagon loads a day for several weeks, but for the last month they 
have had four wagon loads each day; during that time it has 
taken the labor of one man and team most of the time pulling and 
hauling turnips for the cattle on grass, and lately on account of the 
exceeding drouth we have been compelled to supplement this feed 
with shock corn. 

It is not to be understood that we are able to keep and feed the 
number of cattle and other stock on the amount of grain and rough 
feed we raise on our own land or the land we have under lease. 
However, the amount of rough feed we are compelled to buy is com- 
paratively small — probably $300 will cover the amount paid out for 
hay and fodder. The amount paid for corn, oats and other feed 
between now and May 15th will approximate $3,000. All cattle run- 
ning in sheds and not on pasture are followed by hogs, and the 
manure from the box stalls is piled in the barnyard and worked over 



54 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

by the hog^s, and the same system will be followed during the winter. 
With this system there is as little waste as we conceive possible. 
All box stalls and stables are thoroughly cleaned every day and gen- 
erously bedded down with wheat or barley or oats straw and the 
waste fodder and hay from the racks. There is no patent stock food 
of any kind ever fed to the cattle or hogs. 

This method of utilizing the corn crop consumes it all on the 
farm; it is fed into cattle of such breeding that will always sell at a 
fair price. The problem on high priced land today is to so conserve 
the land as to get the largest yield possible and then to so care for 
the crops that there will be as little waste as possible. 

After the silo is built it costs little if any more to put the whole 
crop into the silo than it does to husk the corn and feed the fodder. 
It costs little, if any more, to husk and shred the corn with a husker 
and shredder than it does to care for the crop in the usual way. 

In every manufacturing establishment the elimination of waste 
is a continuing problem. Everj^ farm that feeds what is raised on 
the farm is a manufacturing establishment and is subject to the 
same rules and principles that any other well conducted shop should 
be governed by. The farm on which the crops raised are sold off 
the farm is not an agricultural proposition but a mining one in which 
so much potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen are sold each year and 
the mine is finally exhausted or mined out. 

Some statistician has figured that if the average production per 
acre over the United States in the corn belt were increased five 
bushels per acre the aggregate increase would amount to $250,000,000. 
That would amount to more than all the gold mined in North 
America and but slightly improved methods would easily accomplish 
such a result. 

On the farm of G. E. Jobe, of this committee, there are raised 
about 85 acres of corn. This crop is also fed on the farm, which 
consists of 290 acres. This winter there are being fed 33 head of 
steers, 60 head of fat hogs for winter markets and there will also be 
fed about 150 head of lambs for the spring market. There will also 
be carried on the farm 15 horses, 20 cows and other stock cattle, 90 
breeding ewes and 40 yearlings and ewe lambs. Practically no corn 
is sold by Mr. Jobeoif his farm but he is a purchaser of both corn 
and fodder (stover). He considers it good business to purchase 
fodder at any reasonable price, for if it is carefully handled there 
need be no waste, what is not eaten by the stock going to increase 
the fertility of the soil. 



ANNTJAL REPORT 55 

It is the judg-ment of the Committee on Utilization that the 
only correct method to utilize the corn crop is to feed it on the farm. 
When the farmer sells $1,000 worth of corn it is said he sells, or 
rather g-ives away, $300 worth of fertilizer, or what would produce 
that value if fed through his cattle or stock. In the same manner in 
selling- the fodder on an acre of corn g-round that has produced a 
reasonable crop, he is g^iving- away about 70 pounds of potash, beside 
other minerals that will enrich the soil. 

One of the g-reatest problems with the careful farmer should be 
to preserve and increase the fertility of the soil. It costs really less 
to cultivate g-ood g-round and produce a crop from it than it does to 
cultivate poor land and produce half a crop. It costs no more in 
other words to raise 100 bushels of shelled corn to the acre than itd oes 
to raise 50 bushels to the acre, and there is no manufacturing- 
business that will compare with the raising- of corn on g-ood land. 
Mr. Beam, of Ansonia, Ohio, reported to this meeting- that he has 
this year raised 104 bushels of corn to the acre. The cost of raising- 
and producing- this corn, according- to Mr. Beam, was $12.80. The 
value of the corn produced per acre at 65 cents per bushel, the price 
it is commanding- in northern Ohio, would be $67.60. The net value 
of the corn alone, not counting- the fodder, would be $54.80 per acre. 
Allowing- the value of the fodder and the $4.80 for errors in keeping 
accounts of costs and taxes, we have this land producing net tive 
percent per year on $1,000 per acre. 

But the only manner in which this land can be kept at its present 
state of fertility is by utilizing every bushel of corn raised on the 
farm, or giving back to the land its fertilizing equivalent. 

Reid Carpenter, Chairman. 

REPORT OF THE 
COMMITTEE ON STATE DIVISION 

A. G. McCALL, O. S. U., COLUMBUS 
E. J. RIGGS, RACCOON ISLAND G. C. HOUSEKEEPER, BOWLING GREEN 

Your committee has collected together a large amount of 
information bearing upon the relative adaptability of different 
sections of the state to the growing of corn, but it is not yet in 
position to suggest a basis upon which such a division may be made. 

The Southern, Middle and Northern sections, recognized by 
the Weather Bureau, do not answer our purpose, neither will any 
division based on latitude alone. A comparison of the average 
yields in the Northern and Southern sections will reveal the fact 
that the climatic or seasonal conditions in the two sections are 
not the dominating factors in corn production. 



56 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, 

The ten-year averag-e July rainfall in the three sections is as 

follows: 

Northern section 4.21 inches 

Middle section 4.29 inches 

Southern section 3. 65 inches 

Entire State of Ohio 4.10 inches 

It has been shown by J. Warren Smith, Ohio Section Director 
of the U. S. Weather Bureau, that the jneld of corn is very closely 
correlated with the July precipitation, and that the yield is almost 
directly proportional to the rainfall. This being true, the 
Northern section would have a slight advantage over the Southern 
section so far as rainfall is concerned. 

It has been urged that the greater length of the growing 
season in the Southern part of the state gives that section an ad- 
vantage over the Northern section with respect to yield and size of 
ears. When we consider the total amount of sunshine for the 
entire growing season, however, we find that there are just as 
many or more possible hours of sunshine in the Northern than in 
the Southern section. 

Possible hours of sunshine Actual hours of sunshine 

April to September inclusive April to September inclusive 

Toledo 1606 hours 

Cleveland 2559 hours Cleveland 1466 hours 

Columbus 2548 hours Columbus 1651 hours 

Cincinnati 2533 hours Cincinnati 1713 hours 

Parkersburg- 1363 hours 

An investigation of the effect of environment upon the growth 
of the sugar beet has shown that the possible hours of sunshine is 
more closely correlated with the growth of the plant than the 
actual sunshine hours. Assuming that this holds g-ood for corn, 
we cannot say that the Southern section has any advantage over 
the other portions of the state with respect to this climatic 
factor— sunshine. 

We, therefore, conclude that climatic conditions alone will not 
furnish the basis for our state divisions. 

A large amount of data was examined with a view to classifying- 
and grouping the counties according- to a factor obtained by multi- 
plying the average ten-year yield by the average quality, the 
quality factor being introduced to reflect the adaptability of the 
corn to the locality. This plan has been abandoned for the 
present on account of the lack- of data relative to quality. 

The following maps are introduced to show the change which 
has taken place in the relative yield of corn in the different 
sections of the state during the past half century. 



ANNUAL REPORT 



57 



I WILLIAMS I ^$^ 




Legend.. 



Less than 30bu. 30 - 35bu. More than 35bu . 

MAP 1. Average Yield of Counties for the Decade 1850-1859. 
Compiled from the County Assessors' Reports. 



58 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 







ii CE -y^ HENRY _'S^*'_° ° •?8?»'-.<^/V^->ii^;4<r4 

J PAUL 01 N6 ^„y J 

5put namJ^h'ahcoc 



/5 7.t.. 

Tallenv^^ ^ 

,31.7- . 

''COSHOCTON <^^<^;>gHAR«^N^,;; 




[^ BUTIER -^wOBPtNjjrCLiNTO 



3^,ol 2 7.4 

- ^->^^ >N0BLEJ MONROE 
MQRG AN->or'-<^ 



-r--" ATHENS l 

22,0 L 






y V 



3i-.4 

BOSS 



'^^;^7 J3V.2 



i ^ ^' * I A DAMS ^ ? CO :o^^~Le*'- 



Lefeend 

Less than SObu. 



Z3>- 



30 - 35bu. More- than 35bu. 

MAP 2. Average Yield of Counties for the Decade 1890-1899. 
Compiled from the County Assessors' Reports. 



ANNUAL REPORT 



59 



!>•„. .....^ FULTON I /_ V^ ,,, 



^U 

VAN WES 



j ,5-7 ! AUSLAjZE I MA^ 

I ^,Jv3.4 i --^ ' ' 




Legend 



Increase Decrease 

MAP 3. Increase or Decrease in Yield from the Decade 1850-1859 
to the Decade 1890-1899. 



60 OmO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

We will not discuss the factors which have contributed to 
bring about these changes, except to point out the fact that the 
decrease has been in the rich river valleys, while the other portions of 
the state have increased their yield. 

We wish to express our thanks and deep obligation to Director 
Thorne, of the Ohio Experiment Station, for the large amount of 
data and information which he placed at the disposal of the com- 
mittee. The committee is also under obligation to J. Warren 
Smith, Ohio Section Director of the U. S. Weather Bureau, for data 
and many valuable suggestions. 

In conclusion we wish to recommend that a temporary division 
of the state be made as follows: 

NORTHEAST DIVISION 
Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning', Columbiana, Stark, 
Portage, Geaug-a, Lake, Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina, 
Wayne, Ashland, and Lorain counties. 

SOUTH DIVISION 
Monroe, Noble, Morg-an, Washington, Athens, Meigs, 
Gallia, Lawrence, Jackson, Vinton, Hocking, Adams, 
Brown, Clermont and Hamilton counties. 

WEST-CENTRAL DIVISION 

All counties not included in the Northeast and South 
divisions. 
The above is to be regarded as a tentative division, pending a 
more thorough investigation of the subject. 

A. G. McCall, Chairman. 

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON 
SILAGE METHODS AND VARIETIES 

A. S. NEALE, MACEDONIA 
SAMUEL BOGGS, KINGSTON CHAS. B- WING, MECHANICSBURG 

H. p. MILLER. WESTERVILLE L. P. BAILEY, TACOMA 

The economic value of the silo is now a settled question with 
many farmers. Each year, thousands of Ohio farmers are taking 
up the production of silage and spending hundreds of thousands of 
dollars in machinery for handling the same, and in places for its 
storage. It was formerly thought that only dairymen could 
profitably feed silage. This idea is fast passing away. Now we 
find cattle and sheep feeders, lamb growers and general farmers 
turning to the silo as the most economical method of making dollars 
out of their corn crop. And it is our opinion that there is a place 
on every farm in Ohio where live stock is kept throughout the year, 
and where corn is grown, for the silo. 



ANNUAL REPORT 61 

We know that this statement will be questioned; that there are 
men here who will say that they cannot afford to haul water from 
their fields with high priced labor and blow the same into ex- 
pensive structures. But we would ask them if they could not have 
used during- the present drouth some sort of succulent food to a 
great advantage in supplementing their dry pastures. It is a 
fact that the capacity of the stock farms in Ohio is limited very 
largely by the amount of stock that can be kept during a dry 
season; that if provision were made for carrying the stock through 
the dry months of the summer, the amount of stock kept could be 
materially increased and the value of the same greatly enhanced 
by having some sort of succulent food to supplement the burned 
up pastures. 

The silo offers the most economical solution of this problem. 
Soiling is too expensive to be practical in these modern days. 
Enough food can be placed in the silo in one day to carry the ordi- 
nary farmer through the dry months of the season, while with 
soiling the harvesting must be done each day. Hence, a few acres 
of corn placed in the silo in the fall will be all that will be needed to 
enable the ordinary farmer to get through the summer safely, 
carrying a larger amount of stock than ordinary and keeping the 
same in much better condition. 

There is nothing in the production and handling of the corn 
crop that offers so many unsolved problems as does the question 
of silage in its various phases. There is a wide difference of 
opinion among growers of ensilage and each man thinks he is 
right. Evidently, some one is wrong. The fact is that every 
man who tries the silo is so well pleased with the experiment that 
he fails to study the problem properly and believes that he has 
found the right thing at the first trial, while some one else very 
probably has a better method that is worthy of his study. 

Of these problems, the variety of corn is one that should be 
solved more satisfactorily to the ensilage grower. One man 
favors a large, late maturing, Southern variety, while another 
man will say that he doesn't want the big, coarse stuff in his silo, 
but prefers a smaller stalked, earlier maturing, better grain- 
producing variety of corn. Others prefer a medium sized 
variety that will produce a good amount of grain and mature 
fairly well in their locality. It is the opinion of this committee that 
here is a question our Experiment Station should take up and 
study thoroughly. What kind of corn will produce the largest 
amount of food of the highest value per acre to the grower of silage? 



62 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

Of course, varieties must differ for different localities, but in a 
general way this question can be worked out so as to place 
thousands of dollars each year in the pockets of ensilage growers 
of Ohio. 

Another problem is the method of planting. Some growers 
plant their corn in drills not farther than three or four inches 
apart in a row, desiring to produce a large amount of forage with- 
out regard to its grain value. Others desire to plant their corn 
thin, in order to produce the largest amount of grain possible, 
claiming that they prefer quality to quantity. Can the farmer 
profitably grow filler without regard to its contents, or should he 
rather confine himself to a medium ground where he can produce 
a maximum amount of tons per acre with a high food value? While 
it may not be possible for experimenters to take up this subject in 
an exhaustive manner by carrying on feeding experiments with 
silage of the different, types indicated, it is the opinion of this 
committee that some investigation should be made to throw more 
light upon this subject of thick and thin planting for silage 
purposes. 

Along with the (luestion of varieties of corn and methods of 
planting, comes the problem of breeding a special type of corn 
for ensilage purposes. We are of the opinion that each locality 
may develop a tj^pe of corn suitable to its needs by judicious 
breeding. It has been shown that the corn plant lends itself to 
variations of type very readily, and that it is not a difficult matter 
to produce and fix a type suitable to our needs. The typical 
ensilage corn should have a stalk of medium to large size, it should 
be an erect grower, capable of standing heavy windstorms, with a 
large percentage of grain, an ear placed low, and should be of a 
variety that will mature under ordinary circumstances in the 
section in which it is grown. The placement of the ear on ensilage 
corn is a matter of very great importance in facilitating harvesting. 
The majority of our ensilage varieties have an ear placed very high, 
thus making the bundle unwieldly with a tendency to breaking over 
and tangling of stalks. With a low placed ear, the bundle is much 
more easily handled and the stalks remain more largely unbroken. 
The width of blade is considered by some to be of great importance 
in the variety of corn for ensilage purposes. However, the fact 
is that the precentage of blades to stalk and grain is so small that 
the size of blades is practically unimportant from the feeding 
standpoint, although it may have a very important influence upon 
the growth and development of the plant. 



ANNUAL REPORT 63 

While it probabh^ is true, that the best results in corn pro- 
duction for grain purposes can be secured by growing- seed corn 
in the locality in which the crop is to be grown, there are many 
that hold to the idea that they can get better results, in the 
northern section of the state especiallj^ with ensilage varieties, 
with seed grown further south. For example, a favorite on the 
Western Reserve is the Virginia White Ensilage, hundreds of 
bushels of which are shipped from that state for planting in this 
section. This seed is believed to have greater vitality than any 
other planted in northeastern Ohio. The breeding of this par- 
ticular variety for silage purposes might well be considered by 
Prof. Hartley in his work. 

The time of cutting is still an open question. While the 
maximum food value is reached at the shocking stage, the question 
of whether the crop can be allowed to mature to this point and 
still produce the best quality of silage is important. Can water 
be added as the dr}^ corn is being run into the silo, and thus pro- 
duce a silage equal in palatability and keeping quality to that of 
corn cut a little before maturity is complete? 

To what shall we feed ensilage? To dairy cattle, of course. 
To beef cattle? Some say, yes; others, no. Some sheep feeders 
want silage; others, do not. It is said by some to produce di- 
sease in sheep and horses, while others are of the opinion that 
this is merely a coincidence and that the diseases attributed to 
silage feeding are as prevalent among stock not fed on this food. 

Handling the ensilage crop is an expensive proposition. 
What improvements can we make? Objections are made by some 
to the corn harvester. Can these machines be perfected so as 
to overcome these objections, such as tangled corn, unwieldly 
bundles, etc., or would we better breed a variety of corn that 
will not present these difficulties to the machine? What are the 
best methods of loading, cutting and putting the feed into the 
silo? What type of silo is the most economical? We have many 
different styles. Of the new types, the most desirable are 
probably those built of blocks, either concrete or tile. The 
farmer contemplating building a silo should consider the type 
well before erecting the structure. 

These are a few of the problems that have presented them- 
selves to this committee. There are doubtless many others 
of importance that should be considered. The committee would 
be glad to have any other questions brought to their notice for 
consideration and investigation the coming year, and invite a 
general discussion on the silage problem at this meeting. 

A. S. Neale, Chairman. 



64 OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TOOLS AND METHODS 

H. C. RAMSOWER, O. S. U., COLUMBUS 
W. J. EDGERTON, BARNESVILLE H. C. GEORGE, O. A. E. S., WOOSTER 

HARRY TAYLOR, WASHINGTON C. H. J. W. LINEBAUGH, GROVE CITY 

PRELIMINARY PROGRESS REPORT 

OBJECT 

It is the object of this committee to g"ive this association and the 
farmers of Ohio as complete a report as possible on the most useful 
and economic machinery equipment that is now used or should be 
used in Ohio in the production of our corn crop, together with a dis- 
cussion of the most practical, up-to-date and scientific methods that 
are practiced or should be practiced in connection with the same. 

In more detail, it is our object: 

1 To determine the present status of work done along this line. 

2 To determine problems worthy of further investigation. 

3 To proceed with such investigations in the best manner 
possible. 

4 To announce our results to the farmers of the state as oppor- 
tunity permits. 

METHOD OF PROCEEDURE 

1 Status of affairs: In the spring of 1908, at the instance of 
the Secretary of this Association, a list of questions regarding the 
tools and methods used in producing the corn crop was prepared by 
the Ofifice of Farm Management, United States Department of Agri- 
culture, and the same was published as a joint circular of the Ohio 
Agricultural Experiment Station and the U. S. Department. This 
circular has been sent out judiciously and many replies have been 
received at the Experiment Station. From the character of the 
reports already received it is thought that a fairly complete survey 
of the equipment used in the state can be had, together with some 
adaptation of the various existing tools. The questions were pre- 
pared with a view to obtaining equipment information rather than 
that relating to the use of the tools and the methods employed 
throughout. If the expectations are realized, the summary of these 
reports will indicate the amount and character of equipment best 
adapted; the cost of same per year and per acre of crop, and the con- 
ditions under which each implement becomes a profitable investment. 
The few questions relating to methods were inserted rather as a 
means of securing an outline for further investigation as to methods. 
These were added largely for the benefit of the Ohio Corn Improve- 
ment Association, since the Official from the Ofifice of Farm Manage- 
ment is confining his attention to the equipment phase of the work. 
It is the intention to put forth the summary of information 
on tools in the shape of a joint publication of the Ohio 



ANNUAL REPORT 65 

Agricultural Experiment Station and the United States Department 
of Agriculture, thus making it available to the farmers of this state. 
This investigation regarding tools and methods does not render 
further work by this association unnecessary. Additional and 
specific information regarding certain implements would be 
valuable, and the methods have scarcely been touched upon. Further 
cooperation of the members is needed to secure the missing details. 
The Office of Farm Management has one official devoting- his 
entire time to a study of farm equipment, and investig-ations covering- 
the entire outfit on the farm have been arranged for in Ohio at an 
early date. The results of these studies, including further data on 
corn equipment, will be available for the benefit of the members of 
this association and the farmers of the state in g-eneral, and the 
cooperation of the members is earnestly requested in aiding- the 
Experiment Station and the National Department in securing the 
necessary information. 

2 What this report lacks: Evidently but little is required by 
this set of questions and hence but a slight amount of information 
will be collected on the subject of methods. 

3 How this deficiency is to be made up, will constitute a 
large part of our work: The committee is composed of members 
scattered about over the state. Some of these members, in connec- 
tion with their duties at the Experiment Station, are traveling about 
over the state more or less during- the whole year. Their business 
will be to collect all the information possible by means of a set of 
questions which we hope to prepare in order to have the work pro- 
ceed with some system, which questions will cover not only the 
methods used in corn production, but they will also cover any 
deficiencies which we may discover in replies to the former circular 
mentioned. 

In connection with the individual work of the committee, we 
hope to have the cooperation of the United States Department Office 
of Farm Management in its work along this line. This office is 
devoting much attention to the subject of tillage. Its representative, 
who has this work in charge, has volunteered his assistance in 
furthering the work of this committee, to the extent of aiding- in the 
outline of a set of questions on tillage methods and submitting a 
resume of available information on this subject compiled from vari- 
ous reference works. Further attempts to reveal the prevailing- 
tillage methods in Ohio will be made a feature of the study of farm 
management in the state by all three ag-encies: the Experiment 
Station, the National Department, and this Association. 

H. C. Ramsower, Chairman. 



66 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE 
ON INSTITUTES AND EXPOSITIONS 

V. M. SHOESMITH, O. S. U., COLUMBUS 

HOWARD McCUNE, WILMINGTON WM. SPRENGER, WASHINGTON C. H. 

CHAS. McINTIRE, CHANDLERSVILLE D. M. WEAVER, LEIPSIC 

F. H. OWEN, MARION L. B. BAILEY, TACOMA 



We beg- leave to report that at the State Corn Show held Novem- 
ber 23rd, 24th and 25th, 1908, under the auspices of the Ohio Corn 
Improvement Association, the total number of exhibits exclusive 
of class H (Sweepstakes) and class K (county exhibits) was 639. 

The following table shows the number of exhibits in each class: 



Class A, 10 ears yellow com 316 

" B, 10 ears white com 59 

" C, 10 ears any other variety 53 

" D, best 10 ear sample grrown with potash fertilizer 3 

" E, best individual ear , 97 

" F, best 30 ears any variety 49 

" G, best 70 ears any variety 26 

" I, yield per acre contest 9 

" J, farm management contest 11 

" L, high school contest 3 

" M, club exhibit 8 

" N, grain dealers' display 5 



The number of counties represented was 57, the number of 
entries in each county being- as follows: 



Fayette 


54 


Preble 


13 


Gallia 


3 


Licking 


41 


Washington 


12 


Logan 


3 


Ross 


35 


Hardin 


11 


Wood 


3 


Darke 


34 


Harrison 


10 


Allen 


2 


Franklin 


33 


Stark 


10 


Clark 


2 


Champaign 


26 


Madison 


9 


Jefferson 


2 


Delaware 


24 


Belmont 


7 


Muskingum 


2 


Fairfield 


23 


Butler 


7 


Lake 


2 


Mercer 


19 


Henry 


7 


Perry 


2 


Montgomery 


18 


Medina 


7 


Trumbull 


2 


Hancock 


17 


Seneca 


7 


Williams 


2 


Marion 


17 


Summit 


7 


Cuyahoga 




Pickaway 


17 


Athens 


6 


Lorain 




Van Wert 


17 


Tuscarawas 


5 


Lucas 




Clinton 


16 


Erie 


4 


Miami 




Coshocton 


15 


Meigs 


4 


Pike 




Morrow 


15 


Adams 


3 


Portage 




Union 


15 


Ashland 


3 


Wayne 




Greene 


13 


Columbiana 


3 







Antstual report 67 

There were several other exhibits with insufficient data so that 
they could not be classified, and several shipments were received 
too late for entry. 

This classification of the entries will doubtless be of some 
advantage in arranging- the premium list next year. 

While the committee feels that on the whole the show was a 
successful one, considering the fact that it is the first that Ohio 
has held, there are doubtless several features which may be 
improved another year. Certainly no effort should be spared to 
make the show as educational as possible. 



FINANCIAL STATEMENT 

Statement of Finances by Committee on Corn Institutes and Expositions: 

Receipts 

Cash contribution from Grain Dealers $500.00 

Advertising- (Premium list) 135.00 

Entry fees 156.23 

Busy Bee 5.00 

228 dinner tickets at 75 cents 171.00 

Total $967.23 

Expenditures 

Paid in cash premiums $450.00 

Watch fob trophy 35.00 

Printing- 10,000 copies premium list, with watch fob inserts 135.00 

Printing- entry tags, premium cards and dinner tickets 21.75 

Badges 19.00 

Hotel (Hartley) 2.50 

Postage 42.30 

Postage (Owen) 3.80 

Engraving 8.50 

Express 4.35 

Multigraph 10.90 

Caterer 115.00 

Milk and butter 3.89 

Pumpkins 1,50 

16 tickets returned 12.00 

Students' help 15.00 

Total $880.49 

Total Income $967.23 

Total Expenditures 880.49 

Balance $ 86.74 



Following is a list of awards in the several classes: 



68 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



AWARDS 



CLASS A. (Yellow Corn.) 



Name and Address 



Prize Entry 
won No. 

1st 40 G. O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 

2nd 393 Mell Parrott, Mt . Gilead 

3rd 239 J. E. Briferg-s. Martinsville 

4th 283 Tasso Terrell, New Vienna 

5th 91 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 

6th 281 Georg-e Brackney, Wilmington 

7th 279 James F. Bennet, Wilmington 

8th 98 C O. Ervin, Jeffersonville 

9th 37 Albert Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 

10th 521 K. E. Michel, Paulding 

11th 394 Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead 

12th 112 O. O. Zehring, Germantown 

13th 97 J. H. Fultz, Jeffersonville 

14th 3 C has S. Neer, Woodstock 

15th 479 J. L. Keckley, Marysville 

16th 77 B. F. Hawlej', Woodstock 

17th 151 A. H. Powell, Newark 

18th 387 S. P. Leist, Amanda 

19th 460 C. N. Price. Radnor 

20th 514 A. Philpot, Paulding 

21st 200 A.J. Wilson, Wilmington 

22nd 520 Chas- H. Graves, Paulding 

23rd 175 L.J. Nold, Leetonia 

24th 381 D. E. Phillips, Circleville 

25th 53 I H. Carmen, Selden 

26th 319 Earl House, Greenville 

27th 307 J. H. Bishop, Hamler 

28th 11 Glenn Hinton, Woodstock 

29th 507 Elmer E. Thomas, Newark 

30th 517 Ed Delaet, Paulding 

CLASS B. (White Corn.) 

1st 100 W. E. Jeffers, Guysville 

2nd 59 Paris J ■ Custer, Jeffersonville 

3rd 631 Jos. I. Vause, Chillicothe 

4th 256 J. L. Keckley, Marysville 

5th 4 Chas. S. Neer, Woodstock 

6th 54 I H. Carmen, Selden 

7th 552 James Strother, Venedocia 

8th 197 J. Arthur Coon, Ashville 

9th 83 Byron Staley, Woodstock 

10th 243 C. S. Hunter, Seven Mile 

11th 482 J. H. Higby, Higby 

12th 257 J . L. Keckley, Marysville 

13th 214 Geo. W. Warner, Jr., Harshman 

14th 56 Paul R. Carmen, Selden 

15th 454 Samuel Taylor, Grove City 

16th 76 B F. Ha wley, Woodstock 

17th 480 Jas. C Foster, Higby 

18th 12 Glenn Hinton, Woodstock 

19th 635 George Kuntz, Chillicothe 

20th 152 A . H . Powell, Newark 

CLASS C. (Any other variety.) 

1st 654 G. O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 

2nd 258 J. L- Keckley, Marysville 

3rd 44 Jake Flax, Jeffersonville 

4th 152 A . H . Powell, Newark 

5th 259 J . L. Keckley, Marysville 

6th 195 J. O. Ferneau, South Salem 

7th 400 Lee LeVan, Osbom 

8th 512 G. L. Flemming, Amesville 

9th 115 Isaac Swartzel, Germantown 

10th 92 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 

11th 38 Albert Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 

r2th 464 C.N. Price. Radnor 

13th 194 A. E. Putnam, Lj-ndon 

14th 193 W. S. Wright, Lyndon 

15th 294 Mrs. AnnaE. Collier, London 

CLASS D 

1st 647 A. H» Powell, Newark 



CLASS E. (Individual Ear.) 

wof'^Nr Name and Address 

1st 244 C S. Hunter, Seven Mile 

2nd 260 J. L. Keckley, Marysville 

3rd 93 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 

4th 57 A. S. Booco, Jeffersonville 

5th 272 T. HoUon Orcutt, London 

6th 266 C N. Price, Radnor 

CLASS F. (30 Ears.) 

1st 262 J. L. Keckley, Marysville 

2nd 79 B. F. Hawley, Woodstock 

3rd 343 Chas. Selby, Ansonia 

4th 30 John Lamb, Carroll 

5th 397 Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead 

6th 592 Tasso Terrell, New Vienna 

7th 124 O O. Zehring, Germantown 

8th 629 Lloyd Reiterman, Chillicothe 

9th 219 Roscoe I. Straley, Jeffersonville 

10th 273 T. HoUon Orcutt, London 

11th 58 A. S. Booco, Jeffersonville 

12th 280 James F. Bennett, Wilmington 

13th 344 Frank Baker, Greenville 

14th 36 Frank P Miller, Lancaster 

15th 470 C.N. Price, Radnor 

CLASS G. (70 Ears.) 

1st 42 G. O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 

2nd 61 Paris J. Custer, Jeffersonville 

3rd 189 F. W. Cline, Bloomingburg 

4th 278 Howard and T . T . McCune, 

Wilmington 

5th 86 Byron Staley, Woodstock 

6th 398 Mell Parrott, Mt. Gilead 

7th 95 Roy B. Fultz, Jeffersonville 

8th 125 O. O. Zehring, Germantown 

9th 274 T. Hollon Orcutt, London 

10th 220 Roscoe I. Straley, Jeffersonville 

11th 471 C. N. Price, Radnor 

12th 408 G W. Scott, Lancaster 

13th 641 Russell Woodyard, Delaware 

14th 661 Harry D. Taylor, 

Washington C H. 

15th 418 Will E. Miller. Thurston 

CLASS K 

Licking County 

CLASS L 

1st 656 New Holland High School ' 

CLASS M 

1st 348 R. K. Beam & Sons, Greenville 
CLASS N— Club Exhibits 

1st 120 Sharritt, Swartzel, O . O . Zehring, 
E. L. Zehring, and Felton, 

Germantown 

2nd 157 A. H. Powell, Howard Powell, 
Arlo Powell, Thos. Powell and 
Mrs. A. H. Powell, Newark 

3rd 472 C.N. Price, exhibitor for club, 

Radnor 

4th 172 Coyner, Watt, Stinson, George 
Tudor, Floyd Tudor, Lyndon 

SWEEPSTAKES 

40 G. O. Vanorsdall, Jeffersonville 



V, M. Shoesmith, Chairman. 



ANNXTAL REPORT 69 

REPORT OF SECRETARY 

When the Ohio Plant Breeders' Association was org-anized in 1906 it 
was hoped by those interested that it mig-ht be able to give much attention to 
the more homely questions reg-arding- plant g-rowth as well as to those re- 
garding- breeding-. It soon became manifest, however, that all the time 
available would be required to solve the problems arising- in connection with 
an entirely new line of work, and that the Plant Breeders' Association must 
be a record association and nothing- more. 

Recog-nizing this fact and also that Ohio needed badly an association which 
would g-ive its entire time to the consideration of all questions connected with 
the corn crop such as rotation, uses of manure and fertilizer, preparation of 
seed bed, care of seed, cultivation, harvesting-, utilization, etc., as well as to 
corn breeding-, the Plant Breeders' Association in June 1907 appointed a 
committee with instructions to undertake to bring- about such an organization. 
This committee issued a call for an organization meeting- to be held at Columbus 
January 15, 1908. To this call 161 delegates representing 54 counties responded 
and duly organized the Ohio Corn Improvement Association. 

The Constitution and By-laws as adopted contemplated that membership 
of the State Association should be limited to Local Associations, that the only 
way to become connected with the work should be to join a Local Association 
and that voting in the State Association should be limited to delegates elected 
by the Local Associations — one delegate or vote for each ten members in the 
Local represented. 

By the time of the first annual meeting held November 1908 there had been 
organized 47 of these Local Associations with a membership of 2007. At the 
end of the year there were 57 associations with a total membership of 2324. From 
this it will be manifest that the people of the state have already decided that 
through this organization much good can be done and accordingly are uniting 
their efforts to see what can be done. 

Furthermore the work of the association is not restricted to increasing its 
membership. A statement of the work that has already been taken up by 
these Local Associations together with that for which plans are now being 
made would make still more clear the fact that they are determined to try to 
live up to the motto — "Better corn and more of it." There is scarcely an 
association in the state that has not taken up some special line of work which 
can not fail to benefit to a greater or less extent the corn crop of its county 
and section. 

The work of the State Association is left largely in the hands of the 
Executive Committee which consists of the officers elected at the annual 
meeting. With but slight exception, however, every action of the Executive 
Committee must be submitted promptly to the Secretaries of Local Associations 
for nullification, before it becomes effective. This committee is authorized 
to appoint sub-committees to take up any phase of work that seems worthy 
of consideration. 

These sub-committees have already done much good work and are now 
preparing for work in 1909 that will without question be of great value to the 
state. A list of these committees is given on pag-e 73. Communications 
regarding any line of work maj' be addressed directly to any member of the 
proper committee or to the Secretary of the State Association to be turned 
over to same. It is hoped that each Local Association will do all in its power 
to assist these committees in their work, and that no member of any association 



70 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 



will fail to realize that he must do all lie can to raise the standard of corn 
g-rowing- in his community if Ohio is to improve the quality of her corn and 
at the same time maintain her position as the hig-hest yielding state in the 
corn belt. 

A statement of the membership in the local associations for the year 1908, 
a copy of the constitution and by-laws and a list of sub-committees for 1909, 
so far as appointed, are included in this report. 

L. H. GoDDAKD, State Secretarj^ 

OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 
STATEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FOR THE YEAR 1908 











Members 




Total paid Over- 


Association 


Secretary 


Address 


Apr 


. July 


Nov. 


Jan- 


to date 


paid 


Ashland 


W. G. Miller 


Jeromeville 








25 






Athens 


W. R. Goddard 


Amesville 








28 






Aug-laize 


T. E. Bowsher 


Wapakoneta 


49 


49 


49 


*49 


5.00 


1.32 


Belmont 


W. J. Edgerton 


Barnesville 


27 


33 


33 


43 


2 70 


-.03 


Butler 


C. L. Young 


Collinsville 






21 


23 


.57 




Clinton (Wayne, Wil- 


Jno. P.Langdon 


Sabina 








23 






son & Richland Tps) 
















Clinton 


J. E. Orebaugh 


Wilmington 


36 


36 


57 


57 


3 76 




Columbiana 


C. S. French 


Salem 








39 






Coshocton 


Ed. LeRetilley 


Coshocton 


38 


38 


38 , 




2.00 


.10 


Crawford 


Homer B. Crall 


Bucyrus 


20 


25 






.50 


-.12 


Darke 


Frank Plessinger 


Versailles 


34 


34 


37 


*37 


3 30 


.60 


Delaware (Olent angry) 


H. M. Cowgill 


Delaware 


30 


30 


30 




1.50 




Delaware (Sunbury) 


Chas. Fredericks 


Sunbury 


25 


28 


33 


34 


2 37 




Fayette 


Wm. Springer 


Washington C. H 


. 27 


28 


28 




1.40 




Franklin (Farmers) 


D. G. Boyer 


Carroll 








57 






Franklin (Pleasant & 


J. W. Linebaugh Grove City 


25 


25 


25 


39 


2.50 


.28 


Jackson Tpsl 


1 
















Gallia 


W. C. Mills 


Gallipolis 






24 


34 


3.40 


2.55 


Greene 


O. A. Dobbins 


Cedarville 


62 


62 


62 




3.10 




Guernsey 


F. C. McMunn 


Lore City 


13 


13 


13 




.65 




Hamilton (Anderson 


C. Bart Chapman 


Madisonville 


20 


20 


20 


20 


1.50 




Township! 


» 
















Hancock 


A. E. Kerns 


Findlay 


21 


21 


136 


136 


7.32 




Hardin 


F. B. Rarey 


Kenton 


212 


213 


261 


261 


18.38 




Holmes 


Jno. F. Myers 


Millersburg 








39 






Jefferson 


P. B. Floyd 


Steubenville 


13 


14 


14 


14 


1.05 




Knox- 


Jno. Cunningham 


1 Gambier 








9 






Lake 


A. M. Thompson 


1 Perry 








15 






Licking 


Chas Bone 


Utica 


27 


39 


52 


52 


3.58 




Logan 


E. F. Miller 


Bellefontaine 


53 


53 


53 


*53 


3.99 




Lorain Carlisle^Tp) 


W. H. Hart 


Oberlin 


11 


11 


11 




56 




Madison 


E. D. Orebaugh 


London 


12 


12 


*12 




.60 




Marion 


F. H. Owen 


Marion 


63 


63 


63 


63 


4.73 




Medina 


Will Shank 


Wadsworth 






10 








Meigs 


F. W. Nelson 


Dexter 


25 


35 


45 


60 


3.51 


.02 


Mercer 


G. S. Nuding 


Mendon 






75 


85 


5.00 


2.88 


Montgomery 


O. L. Shank 


Germantown 






20 


20 


.50 




Morrow 


Horatio Markley 


Mt. Gilead 


10 


12 


18 


18 


120 




Muskingum 


Victor Herron 


Chandlersville 






22 


22 


2.20 


1.65 


Noble (Jackson Tp) 


J. A. Wagner 


Dexter City 


14 


16 


16 


17 


1.30 


.08 


Paulding (Payne) 


W. E. Smiley 


Payne 


57 


57 


57 


57 


4 29 




Paulding 


Elmer Jameson 


Haviland 


36 


36 


41 


45 


4 20 


1.16 


Pickaway 


C. H. Niles 


Circleville 


105 


105 


104 


104 


7.83 




Preble 


Clem McKee 


Eldorado 






13 








Putnam 


W. H. Tobias 


Gilboa 


81 


80 


80 


80 


6.00 




Richland 


J. E. Lawrence 


Lexington 


42 


42 


42 


42 


3. 15 




Ross 


H. S. Boggs 


Kingston 


59 


59 






1.45 


—.02 


Sandusky 


E. W. Roush 


Lindsey 








14 






Seneca 


R. H. Crum 


Tiffin 


45 


51 


53 


54 


5.30 


1.35 


Stark 


C. N. Dewalt 


Osnaburg 


30 


33 


34 


*34 


2.53 




Summit 


W. E. Bradley 


Kent 


36 


36 


52 


52 


3.48 




Trumbull 


S. N. Kerr 


Hubbard 






38 


53 


1.33 




Tuscarawas 


H. S. Bartles 


New Philadelphia 21 


23 


29 


29 


2.04 




Union (York Tp) 


J. S. McGinnis 


Richwood 






15 


25 


.50 


-.12 


Van Wert 


H. W. Walters 


Van Wert 


27 


32 


32 


40 


2 60 




Warren 


H. M. Dill 


Lebanon 








26 






Washington 


S. W. Harvey 


Fleming 


11 


11 


11 


11 


1.10 


.28 


Wayne 


D. W. Galehouse 


Marshallville 


12 


12 


12 


37 


1.48 


—.04 


Wood 


Chas. LeGalley 


Bowling Green 






32 


32 


3.20 


2.40 






Totals 


1429 


1487 1923 


2107 


$138.65 


$14.34 


Number members in good standing because 














of having been 


reported the previous quarter 






84 


217 






Total members in good standing 




1429 


1487 2007 


2324 







*No report recieved for this quarter but dues paid in advance. 



ANNUAL RBPORT 71 

It will be noted that no dues are paid by Local Associations to the State 
Association until the end of the quarter next succeeding- that in which the 
association was org-anized. Thereafter dues are 2 1-2 cents per member 
per quarter. 

All of the above amounts collected from the Local Associations ($138.65) 
has been turned over to the State Treasurer in whose hands it now remains, 
no accounts having- as yet been approved for payment, by the Executive 
Committee. 

I hereby declare the above statement to be correct to the best of my 
kno-wledg-e and belief. 

Signed, 

L. H. GoDDAKD, State Secretary. 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

Constitution and By-laws 

Adopted January 15. 1908 Revist-d >;ovember 21, 1908. 

Article 1 — Name 

The name of this org-anization shall be the Ohio Corn Improvement 
Association. 

Article 2 — Purpose 

The purpose of this Association shall be to discover, develop and introduce 
better methods and practices for the improvement, production and utilization 
of the corn plant in Ohio. 

Article 3 — Members 

Any person over fifteen years of ag-e interested in the purposes of this 
Association may become a member bj' the pa3'ment of the prescribed annual fee. 

Article 4 — Voting 
The rig-ht to vote shall be limited to accredited deleg-ates present from local 
Associations. The deleg-ation from any local Association shall then be entitled 
to as many votes as that local Association has multiples of ten members for 
which it has paid dues to the state Association. Deleg-ates present from five 
counties shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

Article 5 — Organization 
The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, a Vice- 
President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and three District Vice-Presidents to be 
elected froni the district which they represent. All officers shall be elected 
annually and shall constitute the executive Committee of the Association. 

Article 6 — Meetings 
The date, place and arrangement for the annual meeting- and for any 
called meeting-s shall be determined by the Executive Committee without 
being- submitted to the local Associations. Special meeting-s must be called 
upon written request of local Associations representing- five counties. 

Article 7 — Elections 
The election of officers for the ensuing- year shall be held at next to the last 
session of the annual meeting. 



72 OHIO CORN IMPROVKMENT ASSOCIATION 

Article 8 — Amendments 
Amendments to this constitution may be made by a two-thirds vote at any 
annual meeting-. 

By-Laws 

Section 1 — Dues 
The annual dues of all membei's shall be not less than twenty-five cents 
per year, pa3'able in advance to the local Association. Local Associations 
shall pay to the state Association ten cents annually for each member on their 
rolls, settlement to be made at the end of each quarter. Local Associations in 
arrears for dues for more than one quarter shall be dropped from the rolls, 
bvit may be restored to membership by the Executive Committee by payment 
of all arrears. 

Section 2 — Officers 

It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meeting's of the 
Association and Executive Committee, and to countersig-n at his discretion all 
orders on the Treasurer. 

The Vice-President shall preside in the absence of the President. 

The Secretary shall keep the records of the Association and Executive 
Committee. He shall receive all money due the Association, shall turn the 
same over to the Treasurer within thirty days, and shall issue orders upon the 
Treasurer for the payment of expenses, when so instructed by the Executive 
Committee or the Association. He shall receive such remuneration as maj' be 
determined upon by the Executive Committee. 

The Treasurer shall hold all moneys of the Association and pay out same 
upon orders from the Secretary, when properly countersig-ned by the President. 
Before entering- upon his duties he shall execute a bond to the Association in 
such sum as may be determined upon bj^ the Executive Committee con- 
ditioned upon the faithful performance of said duties. He shall receive such 
remuneration as may be determined upon by the Executive Committee. 

The several officers shall serve until their successors are elected and 
installed, and shall then turn over to them all books, papers, money or other 
matter connected with their offices. They shall make an annual report and 
shall perform such other duties as are ordinarily required of such officers. 

The Executive Committee shall execute the instructions of the Association, 
shall have authority to take up any phase of work that it deems for the best 
interests of the Association and may call to its assistance such sub-committees 
as it wishes. It shall have authority to fill all vacancies. 

Every action of the Executive Committee which is not submitted to the 
Association within three days, and except as noted in Article 6, must be sub- 
mitted by mail to the Secretary of each local . Association, which is in good 
standing- with the state Association, within thirtj' days, and such action may 
be nullified by a majority neg-ative vote of these Secretaries within ten days 
after such notice is mailed to them. 

Section 3 — Amendments 
Amendments to these By-laws may be made by a majority vote at any 
annual meeting-. 



ANNUAL REPORT 



73 



OHIO CORN IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

SUB-COMMITTEES FOR 1909 



Constitution and By-Laws 

S. N. Kerr, Hubbard. 

J. S. McGinnis, Richwood. 

D. M. Weaver, Leipsic. 

C. Bart Chapman, Madisonville. 

J. Ernest Hutchins, Macksburg. 

F. C. McMunn, Lore City. 

F. B. Headley. Pataskala. 

Improving Corn Varieties 

I. S. Cook. Jr., Chillicothe. 
J as. W. Cook, Forest. 
Philip Baer, Jr., Canal Dover. 
P. D. Leaminsf, Wilmington. 
Clem McKee, Eldorado. 

F. C, Snyder, Fremont. 
Frank Oliver, Versailles. 

Local Associations 

W. A. Martin, Kenton. 
W. E. Bradley, Kent. 

G. Roy Crumrine, Nova. 

Wm. Sprenger, Washington C. H. 
W. R. Goddard, Amesville. 
P. B. Floyd, Steubenville. 
H. M. Cowgill, Delaware. 

Rotations and Fertilizers 

Alfred Vivian, O. S. U., Columbus. 

N. C. Frost, West Mentor. 

C. O.Snyder, Millersburg. 

J. S. Brigham, Bowling Green. 

Isaac Sollars, Washington C. H. 

Jno. I. Wentz. Bucyrus. 

Chas. Bone, Utica. 

Silage Varieties and Methods 

A. S, Neale, Macedonia. 
Dillwyn Stratton, Winona. 
Saml. Boggs, Cicrleville. 
Jesse Bailey, Tacoma. 
Jno. B. Peelle, Sabina. 
C. W. Lease, Dola. 
T. p. White, Hooker. 



G. E. Jobe, Cedarville. 
Reid Carpenter, Mansfield. 

E. C. Darling, Nellie. 
Jno. P. Langdon, Sabina. 

F. L Heim, Wooster. 
Frank Balj'eat, Van Wert. 
Dillwyn Stratton, Winona. 

Credentials 
T. HoUon Orcutt, London. 

Institutes and Expositions 

V. M. Shoesmith, O. S. U., Columbus. 
F. H. Owen, Marion. 
L. P. Bailey, Tacoma. 
Howard McCune, Wilmington. 



Marketing 
H. W. Robinson, (ireenspring. 
E. A. Peters, Groveport. 
O. O. Zehring, (^rmantown. 
W. J. Mathews. McGuffey. 
W. A. Starbuck. Wilmington, 

0. H. Fawcett. Bellefontaine. 
Elmer Jameson, Haviland. 

Score Card and Corn Judging 
C G. Williams, O. A. E. S., Wooster. 
Dan Egbert. Tiffin. 
J. W. McCord, Columbus. 

1. S. Cook, Jr., Chillicothe. 

V. M. Shoesmith, O. S. U., Columbus. 

C. M. Myers, Lockbourne. 

W. M. Hardman, Yellow Springs. 

State Divisions 
A. G. McCall, O. S. U., Columbus. 

E. J. Riggs, Raccxxjn Island. 

G. C. Housekeeper, Bowling (ireen. 
A. G. Abbott, Sharon Center. 
Jno. S. Myers, Millersburg. 
L. p. Clawson, Hamilton. 
Horace Ankeny, Xenia. 

Educational Trains 
H. C. Price, O. S. U.. Columbus. 
H. W. Robinson, Gi-eenspring. 
John Cunningham, Gambler. 
W. K. Orr, Chillicothe. 
Austin Herrick, Twinsburg. 

Legislation 
R. W. Dunlap, State House, Columbus. 
W. A. Martin, Kenton. 
C. A. Pontius, Canton. 
S. J. Vining, Celina. 
W. G. Castor, Point Rock. 
Horatio Markley, Mt. Gilead. 
H. M. Snook. T^ebanon. 

Public School Work 
A. B, Graham. O. S. U., Columbus. 
H. D. Bowsher, Wapakoneta. 
S. W. Harvev, Fleming. 
C. H. Allen, Paulding. 
Victor Herron, Chandlersville. 
L. S. Ivins, Lebonan. 

C. S. French, Salem. 

Selecting and Introducing Varieties 

H. C. George, O. A. E. S., Wooster. 

D. B. Cross, Racine. 
Ira L. Graiiam, Payne. 
H. M. Dill. Lebanon. 
G. S. Nuding, Mendon. 

F. C. Murphy, Sunbury. 
W, H. Hart, Oberlin. 

Tools and Methods 

H. C. Ramsower, O. S. U., Columbus. 

H. C. George, O. A. E. S., Wooster. 

L. W. Ellis, U. S. D. A., Washington D, C. 

J. W. Linebaugh, Grove City. 

W. J. Edgerton, Barnesville. 

Frank B. Rarey, Kenton. 

O. L. Shank, Germantown. 



INDEX 

Associations — List of Locals org-anized in 1908 70 

Bayard, E. S. — Donation of Trophy Cup 43 

Breeders of Corn — Need of, in ever)' County 32 

Business Meeting — Record of 3 

Carpenter, Reid — Committee Report 52 

Committee Reports — 

Educational Trains 33 

Improving- Corn Varieties 31 

Institutes and Expositions 66 

Market ing Corn 35 

Rotations and Fertilizers 39 

Score Card and Corn Judging 49 

Silage Methods and Varieties 60 

State Divisions 55 

Tools and Methods 64 

Utilization .' 52 

Committees for 1909 73 

Constitution and By-laws 71 

Cook, I. S., Jr. — Committee Report 31 

Corn Trains 33 

Cunningham, J. F.— Donation of Trophy Cup 41 

Ears of Corn— Various Types 27 

Farm Man agement 45 

Feeding Corn — Need of 52 

Fertil izers lor Corn 39 

Graham, A. B. — Donation of Trophy Cup 47 

Hartley, C. P. — Utilization of Corn Variations 13 

Heredity — Laws of 4 

Improvement in Yield — 

Possibilities of 17 

Is there a limit to? ; 16 

Improving Corn Varieties 31 

Johnson, H. H. — Statistics Regarding Corn 28 

Kernels of Corn — Various Types , 26 

Marketing Corn 35 

McCall, A. G.— Committee Report 55 

Mendel's Laws .. 4 

Mixed Corn — Effect of, in Selling 36 

Moisture in Corn — Effect of Excess of, in Selling 36 

Neale, A. S.— Committee Report 60 

Ohio Experiment Station— Bulletins referred to 40 

Ohio's Yield of Corn in 1908 Compared with other States 29 

Price, H. C— Committee Report 33 

Prize Winners at State Show 68 

Ramsower, H. C. — Committee Report 64 

Robinson, H. W. — Committee Report 35 

Score Cards for Judging Corn — 

Ears 49 

Entire Plants 50 

Varieties 51 

Secretary — Report of 69 



INDEX. 

Shoesmith, V. M. — Committee Report 66 

Shredder and Hiisker — Use of 38 

Silo — Needed on all Livestock Farms 60 

Spillman. W. J. — 

Laws of Heredity' 3 

Donation of Trophy Cup 45 

State Corn Show — Report of 60 

State Divisions 60 

Statistics Regarding^ Corn 28 

Sunshine — Possible and Actual Hours of, in different Sections 56 

Tools and Methods in growing corn 64 

Trophy Cups — 

Agricultural College 47 

Farm Management 45 

National Stockman and Farmer 43 

Ohio Farmer 41 

Tj'pe — Selection of, in Breeding , 12-20 

Variations — Utilization of 13 

Vivian, Alfred — Committee Report 39 

Williams, C. G. — Committee Report 49 

Yields by Countj' 57 



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